Sesshomaru Bound
by LadyJenDragon
Summary: Naraku has done his worst. Inuyasha has forgotten his team while Miroku and Sango recover at the temple of his master. Kagome journey's to recover the Shikon Jewel and return home forever. Problem: she's bound to an uncooperative demon...Sesshomaru!
1. Chapter 1: The Offer

**SESSHOMARU BOUND**

**By Lady JenDragon**

**Summary:** Naraku has done his worst. Her team has been scattered to the forewinds. Inuyasha has forgotten his friends with the help of an amnesia spell. Miroku, Sango, KiRaRa and Shippo take up residence at Master Mushimo's temple to heal severe battle wounds from their last encounter with irksome Naraku. Now Kagome must journey after the final half of the Shikon Jewel alone so she can permanently return home and escape this Feudal madness. There's just one little problem…she bound to a most uncooperative demon. Not just any demon…Sesshomaru.

Rating: Teen for violence, battle sequences...and whatever else I forgot.

**Disclaimer: **We all know we have to claim Inuyasha's not of our own concoction and such. Acknowledged and moving on.

**Author's Notes:** Welcome to another of my stories. Yeah, yeah, I know, can't I finish my other stories first? What? And miss out on all this multi-tasking? I DEDICATE this story to my good friend Mademoiselle Wendita B., for whom her favorite pairing is Kagome & Sesshomaru. Personally, I don't understand the whole attraction thing but decided this would be a good lesson in writing an alternative opinion. This story has nothing to do with Cycle of Rin nor is it in any kind of timeline I set up with my other stories. It's simply a story of my brainstorming thanks to my friend…who will suffer for putting these thoughts into my head. All right, all right. In all fairness, she just explained why she liked the pairing. Ah, my idea girl. I just came up with this all on my own as a result of listening. I still blame her regardless.

Okay, with that out of the way, we can move forward. This story is not based on any other FanFic you may have read. I've not had time to sit down and read through the thousands of Inuyasha fic's on this website. If this story is similar, not my fault. But, I can promise that they won't have what I've planned in the story line up. Besides, my friend will let me know. Feel free to shout out any errors and mistakes. Questions are always welcome. Might answer, might not. Other stories will be updated soon as well. I think that covers all…for now.

* * *

**CHAPTER 1**

**The Offer**

Long slender fingers flexed as amber eyes gazed upon the closing fist with mild interest. The muscles obeyed every command as if it were his own. Even where the foreign flesh connected to his own blended seamlessly in color and shape. The supple skin stretched and relaxed as he clenched yet another fist, fascinated by its sheer creation. His kimono hung off his left shoulder, the white and red silk clung around his waist over the armor.

"Well?" The craggy old female voice asked with a hint of angst.

Her elderly gray eyes shifted from the porcelain face of the Dog demon, to his excellently sculpted barren chest then over to the new left arm. It was rare to see such a high standing demon without clothing even if it were just the chest, free from any hair, as far as she could see. Few eyes ever lay upon such perfect flesh as his, especially female eyes. Sesshomaru was not known for lying with just any female. In fact, no one knew if the son of the Dog General preferred to find refuge in the arms of a woman. Still, she recorded this sight in her memory for later use. Truly a rare sight indeed. A smile crept across her elderly face. The attachment had been a monumental success.

"The price?" Came the monotone voice.

Sesshomaru stood with his new arm bent at the elbow. His eyes never left the offer from the Demon Witch. Fex, a shorter version of a much longer name that no one remembered her by any other name but Fex, could not be completely trusted. Her kind always required some form of payment. He flexed the fingers numerous times, expecting the hand to fall off at any time.

"Th…there is no co…cost, Lord Sesshomaru." The witch demon smiled toothily, waving her hands to shoo off his question. "You have done so much. It's the least I can do."

Sesshomaru took this in with curious reproach. The demon witch did nothing without purpose. Father taught him that early in life. It had been many years since he last seen the wretched demon. Even then, it was not a pleasant acquaintance. Her kind caused more problems among superior demons, creating rifts in families and turning the most mild of issues into civil wars. They mostly fed on the greed and flaws of humans due to their gullible nature. However, Fex created a reputation among demons. Some were allies, others bitter enemies.

"A gift?" Sesshomaru challenged.

"Why…y…yes." Fex bowed to the Dog Demon. "You saved me half a decade ago amongst a battle involving humans. Their sheer numbers almost overpowered me had you not arrived on your journey towards the Ox and Tiger. I doubt you'd even remember it…such a long time ago. I believe you were searching for your father's grave at the time."

He had nearly forgotten seeing the Demon Witch. Sesshomaru remembered the foolish Humans turn their blades towards him upon his arrival. Had he known a battle between Humans and the Demon Witch was being decided, he would have avoided the area to ensure her death. Yet, she credited him with 'saving' her life. Demon Witches were known to repay such acts with generosity. That would explain her sudden willingness to aid him. Yet, something did not feel right. The offer came much later after the act. It made him wonder what she was planning. Their last encounter that he did remember, they had been on opposite sides of a minor skirmish with another demon clan several years before his half-breed brother's awakening from the Sacred Tree. Her intentions appeared openly genuine.

'_Only time would tell, witch.'_

He would only accept this offer of a gift until he could decipher its meaning. Sesshomaru would place Jaken nearby to watch the Demon Witch. Any actions she took for or against him, he would know about immediately. Jaken would be returning from aiding Rin in finding her daily food run shortly.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Kagome waited in the bushes, waiting for any sign of the bird. For the first time, she was chasing something alone. Every nerve shivered with anticipation as she listened quietly. Shaking off her anxiety Kagome aimed her bow and arrow keeping it at ready. She panned the forest once more. That black bird with six eyes was around here somewhere.

"Come on, come on!" She whispered impatiently. "I know you're here."

She felt the shard a few miles back. The Shikon Jewel was almost complete. Naraku possessed the majority of a half. There were three shards left of the Jewel in addition to her half and Naraku's. Then the Shikon Jewel would be whole again. And the damn bird just stole her half to take back to its master. If she did not succeed, he would once again have the Shikon Jewel to himself. She was supposed to have been back home weeks ago. But the battle for the Jewel turned out to be forced into one more battle after another.

This was the last time.

She would take the Shikon Jewel with her back home and never return to the Feudal Era. Sango and Miroku were recovering from the last battle at the temple of Miroku's old master. They were near death when Naraku made a play for the Jewel half they came into possession after battling the horde of cat demons. Shippo volunteered to stay behind and take care of them, mending his own wounds as well. KiRaRa was out on medication reconnaissance, suffering her own set of injuries, when Kagome decided to go after the Jewel alone. It was the only way to end this nightmare.

Naraku used his demon powers to turn Inuyasha against the fight for the Jewel. Whatever it was, the spell worked like a charm. Her heart broke when Inuyasha decided to leave but it had not completely broken. At first, she thought it was the end of the world when Inuyasha disappeared that rainy night two months ago. Thinking about it now, Naraku finally got what he wanted. When she got the Shikon Jewel together and purified it, Inuyasha would return to himself. And he would live his life.

But, it would be with out her.

She understood now. First loves never ended it seemed. Even in death. Kikyo still held Inuyasha's heart firmly and he only saw her as part of Kikyo. It was best she left Inuyasha now while he could not remember her as an individual. He would not miss her anyway. Over two and a half years since she arrived in the Feudal Era, Kagome never imagined being without Inuyasha in the future. Had she grown that much?

Shaking her disappointments from her mind, Kagome forced herself to concentrate. All this craziness among the demons would end as soon as she got that damn Jewel and took it back home with her. It would be some time before Miroku and Sango recovered, they could live out their days at the temple. Shippo and KiRaRa would stay wherever those two decided to settle down. If that were to ever actually happen.

Then a black form flew off the high branch from the largest tree a few meters before her. It had been waiting for her. Teasing her with the Jewel that appeared just within reach. Seemingly egging her on with the intention of forcing her into another failed attempt to retrieve the ever elusive Shikon Jewel. Naraku's doing of course, allowing her to think she had the upper hand all the while bird lured her into some trap. He must know what she planned to do with the Jewel once she acquired it. She needed to heed on the side of caution.

With that, Kagome took off running. The black bird was heading away from her, the tree line thickening as she ran. It would lazily circle every few minutes, riding a circular wind as it glided its shiny black body on rising air. It seemed to be waiting for her to catch up. Kagome found burying her feelings of hatred for Naraku difficult.

'_He's gonna pay…' _Kagome focused her energy on increasing her speed. _'…big time.'_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Fex rubbed her eyes, sensing the Human miko coming close by. She frowned but her mind latched onto a very odd idea. Strange for a human to be this far from their village. But with such powerful spiritual powers that this one possessed, the Human did not cower where demons roamed. Still, it gave her reason to smile toothily. Her eyes shifted to the sky, finding the black bird with six eyes circling a small field. The shining object shimmered off the fading sunlight on the horizon.

'_The Shikon Jewel?'_ Excitement shot through her uncannily.

Few times in her life did such minor moments of good luck come upon her. With a few flicks of her wrist, she thrust her hand into the air towards the bird. A spell shot from her bony fingertips, spreading over the bird without interrupting its flight. The creature would take no notice of her spell. She just needed to borrow the Shikon Jewel for a few moments.

And then fate would take over.

Her body shook with delighted madness as a giggle turned into laughter. The echo of her laugh pierced the field around her. Birds in a nearby tree took to flight. The trees and bushes rustled as a wind suddenly stirred up, blowing debris airborne.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Kagome found it difficult to track the bird from the ground. If only Shippo was here! Chasing the damn bird would be much easier, covering far more ground in his floating balloon form than running after it on two feet. She frowned then pushed the thought from her head. How cruel could she be? Shippo almost died the last time they went up against Naraku, without Inuyasha.

Breaking free of a particularly thick grouping of bushes, she barely kept her feet as she nearly fell forward onto the well-trodden dirt trail. Kagome nearly ran into the towering red and white form walking up the trail. Without thinking, she pivoted and ran past without looking at the form halting its advance. There was little time to waste though the person seemed familiar. Checking the bird's position in the sky, she decided that the well-used dirt trail where the person in red and white just came from would make traveling faster. Kagome ran towards the trees where the black bird circled ahead of her.

"You there." Sesshomaru realized his thought spoke for itself.

But the female ignored him, her bow and arrow gripped tightly in her hands as she barely avoided hitting him and chose to alter her course around him. He felt the Shikon Jewel and knew why she had come. The black bird acquired a significant portion of the Shikon Jewel. After a shift in weight, the miko ran down the path behind him. The miko was headed towards the Demon Witch's residence just on the other side of the thicket where he just left. She was after the Shikon Jewel.

He turned on his feet and lifted his eyes to where the human grew smaller in the distance. The female was familiar. The woman who showed kindness towards Rin during her brief visit with Naraku's wind demon creation Kagura? It must be more than two months since he last saw the miko. Oddly, Inuyasha's scent was no longer fresh on her, barely detectable in fact. His younger sibling did not appear to be traveling with her anymore. Sesshomaru paused before asking the question internally.

'_What happens to humans and half-breeds is hardly of interest to me.'_

Yet, he knew that he should follow the Shikon Jewel wherever it went in this region. Surely Naraku would behind its stealing. The Jewel held no interest for him. But, it would hold a wealth of possibilities to a Demon Witch. One not afraid to take advantage of the opportunity should it be given to her if offered. That could not be allowed regardless of the gift she bestowed upon him.

Sesshomaru began to walk towards the Witch's lair, deciding that speed would be key. He turned into a ball of white and lifted off from the ground. The miko would not arrive in time to take back the Jewel into possession.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

After several minutes, Kagome realized she had just passed Sesshomaru. Why should she feel happiness at meeting up with someone she knew? Sesshomaru hardly counted as someone you could call 'an acquaintance'. Her lungs burned from the exertion, barely able to keep up with the bird. Still, there was no time to dawdle. She lifted her bow and arrow once more and took aim at the bird flapping its wings hard to gain altitude.

"Hit the mark." She whispered.

The arrow glowed blue as it took off. It arched through the air, whizzing through the thickening fog forming over the small field. She did not see the smoke rising from the structure hidden just beyond the trees on the field's opposite side. The black bird flew north, flapping its wings hard against the fury of the wind. The arrow pierced its wing. The bird began a downward spiral, becoming tighter and tighter until it splashed down into a small pond of water on the field's far side.

Kagome ran after the bird's carcass. She needed to move fast to obtain the Shikon Jewel half it possessed before another demon came along. Barely able to breathe, she stopped just short of the creature, making sure it was pinned to the ground. Her arrow stuck out at an odd angle. The wing decayed quickly, the bones exposed beneath. A foul smelling liquid drained from its beak. Her eyes then found the Jewel lying on open ground a few feet from the bird's beak. She rushed over and skidded to a stop just before reaching it, her eyes growing wide.

The Shikon Jewel half glowed a slight green color for several seconds, covering the entire form like a blanket. The color deepened and whites swirling into the green as though violent storms possessed the Jewel. Then the swirling green and white cover slid off onto the ground, then lifted into the air. It rushed away from her and disappeared through the thick trees. Smoke rose above the trees in the next field over. It was then Kagome spied the small hut structure just on the other side.

'_Hopefully, no one's noticed what's happened yet.' _Kagome wished silently.

She paused waiting for anything, but nothing came. She did not want or need anything else to happen today. No one seemed moved on the other side of the trees. Shrugging, she picked up the Jewel, the half round shape turning bright pink between her fingers. Proud of herself for obtaining it herself, she turned back towards the trail she took to get here.

Kagome glanced up to find the ball of white light land in the middle of the field. Sesshomaru had followed her. He appeared out of the white light she had seen him use to travel distances quickly, walking with serene authority and an elegant grace. Guess demons with his breeding thought highly of themselves enough to consider themselves in a higher class above the rest.

Sesshomaru asked evenly. "He is not with you?"

He slowed his pace, closing in on the Human. Sesshomaru stopped short of the miko, keeping seven feet between them, his amber eyes set upon the young woman's hands. She held her ground, staying where she stood. The Shikon Jewel half she possessed turned pure. Such great spiritual power in one so young, he thought. Even greater than that of Kikyo, the dead miko, who remained doomed to walking the earth as an empty shell of its former life. The woman's dark eyes looked up at him, a slight frown on her face. The Demon Witch had not attempted to pursue the Shikon Jewel after all.

"No." Kagome clenched the Jewel half in her hand, knowing whom Sesshomaru meant. "Naraku placed an amnesia spell on him. We can't find a way to break it."

"The Jewel?" Sesshomaru shifted his eyes to her clenched hand.

"Might return him to normal." Kagome responded naturally as if she intended to use the Jewel's power on his little brother. "Not sure. But, I've got to try something."

Kagome had never bothered to really look at Sesshomaru before. Looking at him now she guessed her curiosity stemmed because he was the first company she had in days. Her interest lay mainly with Inuyasha whenever they met in the past. But, there was something…noteworthy about him. He stood so tall yet he made no move to eradicate her. She never realized he was handsome. Not cute like Inuyasha, but a more refined appearance typical of older brothers. Oddly, she was a bit surprised to find he followed her. He never sought the Shikon Jewel before. Had he changed his mind recently?

"Well, if you're not going to say anything else…" Kagome moved to walk around him.

She had little time for pointless conversation. Her half was safely back in her hands now. That only left the three shards possessed by Naraku's creations and Kohaku in addition to the half he retained around his neck. How the hell was she going to get it? Kagome forgot the demon, allowing her thought to command her attention as she moved the trailhead. She needed to think about her next move.

'_Insolence.'_ Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at the Human daring to discard him, sucking in a deep breath.

He placed a hand on Tenseiga's hilt, his anger rising. Her back to him as she walked around him as if he were not there irritated him. As if she had some authority to remove herself first. Yet, the girl possessed such brazen behavior when they met before on a number of occasions. This woman was not like the others of the Feudal era. Indeed. Her constant break from the traditional role both insulted him but made him curious as well. He sensed it before another thought formed.

The air exploded around them. Kagome barely had time to turn around before the hot air ripped through the tiny field. Debris and dust filled the air, making it difficult to breathe. Then her world went blank. Oddly, she felt her feet leave the ground before losing consciousness.


	2. Chapter 2: Bound

**SESSHOMARU BOUND**

**By Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **Acknowledged and moving on.

**Author's Notes:** Welcome to chapter two. Don't really have much to say. Let me know if there's any typos and such. Work's been running me ragged these past few weeks. Need SLEEP!

* * *

**CHAPTER 2**

**Bound**

_Battle…_

_The sounds of swords…words exchanged…_

_More explosions…_

Kagome opened her eyes, lying on her back. The evening sky greeted her, the air had cleared, stars twinkled happily down at her. Veering her eyes, she remained in the field where she remembered killing the bird. She sat up with some difficulty.

"What happened?" Kagome asked groggily.

How many hours had past while she had been unconscious? The blast nearly ripped her in half. Had someone pulled her out of the way? Kagome pondered the whole event quietly, checking every body part for injury. So far, nothing seemed to be missing or hurting. There might be some aches tomorrow but she felt okay now.

"The Jewel!" Kagome checked the Jewel safely around her neck.

Surprised it was still there. She frowned at that. Wait, she did not have time to put it around her neck? How had the Jewel gotten around her neck then? She vaguely remembered hearing an elderly woman's voice during her sleep. Was it a dream? There was a male voice too… Sesshomaru perhaps? Had they battled after the initial explosion? There had been more than one… was there not?

A series of images flashed before her, a crazy woman and Sesshomaru fighting. But that had been a dream. Right? She was hit on the head hard during the first explosion, nearly knocking her out completely. But…she hung on long enough to watch Sesshomaru attack with his sword. Tenseiga. Totosai had reworked the sword so he could use it in battle not so long ago. And that woman appeared to have something in her hands. Kagome frowned deeper thinking about how the woman appeared crazed, reaching straight out with both hands, as if she had been looking up from the ground. Must have been before the battle with Sesshomaru. It was so vague the image could have been made up, a dream.

That did not diminish the feeling that the woman may have been after Sesshomaru. _'Then why had she stopped to bend over me first?'_ Sesshomaru had been behind her at the time of the blast meant to take them off guard. The woman had aimed high, not low. She only went low when Sesshomaru armed himself with Tenseiga. Strange.

Kagome turned her head to glance around, feeling something around her neck. If she turned her head to the other side, it pulled at her skin. Then she remembered something. The woman's hands appeared to clutch something as she bent over her. That was it! This thing around her neck, the woman put it there! What was it though? Her eyes could see nothing hanging down. Her fingers went to where she felt the tug, finding the raised metal-like thing. She yanked on it, finding nothing unusual. But why put this collar-thing on her? Then her hand, feeling around her neck, touched something chilly. A chain, a thin rope-like strand, was attached to the collar thing. But where did it go? Was she attached to a stake in the ground?

Slowly, Kagome traced its path. Her fingers gingerly worked the thin strand until she started to approach a pile of rocks loosened during the blast from the ground during the battle near the edge of the field. The crater a few hundred feet away towards the woman's residence attested to this line of reasoning. But the boulders must have come down in such force that they all piled here. If Kagome did not know better, she thought the boulders looked almost placed there on purpose. She climbed the high dirt and rock pile just before the thick trees, gracefully checking each mound and rock before placing her full weight down. Kneeling on the top, she found the strand hung straight down above an unconscious Sesshomaru.

He lay on his back, his head slightly to the left side. His fluffy boa thing rested beneath him, his hair fanned out over the ground. Part of his armor was cracked where the white kimono began. Both eyes closed, his chest slowly rose and fell with each breath. Knocked cold from his battle with the woman, he lay motionless for now. Even unconscious he kept the air of aristocratic class, seemingly demanding her attention.

She could not stop staring in disbelief. Out cold…Sesshomaru, unconscious. But that was not what worried her. Kagome yanked slightly on the strand, double-checking the origin of the other end. The skin around Sesshomaru's neck tugged with the effort. Her eyes widened in horror. _'NO!' _A tether to…Sesshomaru? She dropped the strand in surprise and lost her balance, falling back over the other side.

Kagome landed hard on her back, her legs slammed together on the pile of dirt. Her hand over her mouth to stay quiet, she did not move, too shocked to think. As if she did not have enough to deal with getting the other half of the Shikon Jewel alone from Naraku. Her eyes moved to the forest around her. The woman's body lay a hundred feet away, something sticking out of her chest. Appeared to be Tenseiga stuck in the woman's chest. Red covered her face and soaked her clothes. Dead, Kagome surmised deciding not to go look, a bit too gruesome for her liking.

Her eyes shifted down, finding the Shikon Jewel had fallen out from beneath her shirt. In the pink light, the tether glowed a pastel pink. The chain-like links intertwined delicately forming a network in tubular form. She frowned, touching the tether with her index finger, finding the metal soft and pliable. Pulling the Shikon Jewel away from her neck, the tether disappeared from view but could still be felt. The green and white swirl that overtook the Jewel shortly before the blast occurred! Kagome's eyes widened. Had the woman borrowed some of the Jewel's power to use to bind them together?

Sesshomaru won the battle but how…how did they get…tethered together? Kagome chided herself for asking a question in which she knew the answer. _'Stupid!'_ She had been mostly out of it when the woman placed it on her. But, how on him? How in the world to do you knock a demon like him out? The woman died by Sesshomaru's hand that was certain.

'_You cannot die then place something on someone's neck.' _She reasoned. "That's impossible."

Kagome got to her feet realizing she could go nowhere while the much larger demon lay unconscious.

"Great!" Kagome placed both hands on her hips angry. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Hours passed…

'_Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?" _Kagome sat on a rock contemplating her new problem. _'Why me? Why him? Why now?'_

The only she could do was wait for Sesshomaru to wake. Kagome sat beside him, occasionally using her water to soak and place a wet cloth back on his forehead. It was a warm day he might be hot after his long battle with the now dead demon woman. The sun had come up hours ago, the morning almost gone. How long did demons sleep for anyway? Kagome wanted anxiously to get the tether thing off and go after the Jewel. All she could think about was getting back into her own bed and never coming back to the Feudal Era again.

She would miss Miroku and Sango so much, same with Shippo and KiRaRa who would stay with them. It would be hard at first. But it was the right thing to do. Kagome shook tears that wanted to sting away. They had one another. It was she who did not belong here. Almost three years it took for her to realize this truth. Kagome existed in the future without demons and spirits constantly waiting for unsuspecting humans to come their way. It was safe and it was where she needed to stay from now on. Stirring beside her caught her attention. Sesshomaru suddenly opened his eyes.

"Finally!" Kagome got to her feet. "You're awake!"

Sesshomaru did not show his impatience, feeling the cold cloth at his forehead. He removed the cloth discarding it to the side as unwanted trash as he sat up. His focus was not completely clear, the Demon Witch hitting him with a confusion spell that bounced off his armor. Only part of it caught his hand causing him to lose minor consciousness before delivering the final blow. His injuries felt minor, most healed during his slumber. The forest appeared all one green blur at the moment as he surveyed around him. The human appeared to have survived as well.

"The Demon Witch?" Sesshomaru waited.

"Oh, the woman?" Kagome turned to face the corpse rotting, pointing. "Over there, dead. You killed her with Tenseiga, I see."

Sesshomaru said nothing barely glancing at the fuzzy corpse. If Tenseiga was there then he could not see the thin blade yet. It would take several minutes for his sight to return. No aches were detected in any of his limbs, mostly in the chest area. The battle had been in his favor after all. The Witch tried her best, but her poor breeding did not allow for the necessary power required to defeat this Sesshomaru in battle. He wondered for a brief moment why the miko chose to wait for him to wake.

"Are you okay?" Kagome watched Sesshomaru get to his feet with such elegance. "You were out for some time. Almost an entire day."

Sesshomaru chose not to speak. His vision began to clear, surveying the damaged trees and scarred ground where the remnants of battle carved the landscape. Obviously he was fine if he had stood on his own. His unconsciousness was enough to allow him to regenerate to near one hundred percent recovery. It irritated him that the miko bothered to check on him needlessly. Human women were constantly consumed with knowing the well being of others. Unnecessary.

"What happened?" Kagome realized Sesshomaru would only answer certain questions.

'_Honestly, couldn't he just show a little gratitude?'_ Kagome realized that Inuyasha's brother very rarely showed emotion outwardly. Only with Rin did he attempt to exhibit any kind of caring towards another living being. Sighing deeply, she knew Sesshomaru would only see her as an obstacle.

"The Demon Witch drew you into a trap for the Jewel." Sesshomaru concluded.

Sesshomaru walked over to Tenseiga, retrieving the sword from the Demon Witch's corpse. With the touch of his hand, the blade cleared of blood, sheathing it at his waist. He felt the power the Jewel gave the Demon Witch, how it added more damaging effects to her spells. It enabled the woman to battle him on a level not easily matched. She never stood a chance without it. Capable of sensing the Jewel, the miko's presence allowed the Witch's plan to come together while he remained in the area.

"I still have the Jewel." Kagome held it up for him to see. "She didn't take it."

"This Sesshomaru killed her." He pointed out the obvious.

Kagome rolled her eyes, choosing to ignore his point. So what! So she was bit more concerned about whether he would wake up than figure out the situation completely. Some things came in a different order of importance for her. Men! Ah! No wonder they would be lost without women. Let him lick his own wounds!

"Yeah, yeah, nice job and all." Kagome did not want to wait around anymore. "Listen, Sesshomaru, I've got a lot of things to do; like get a Jewel back from Naraku, high tail it home and say bye to all of you forever. However, we've got a little problem here. This witch demon of yours, she placed this thing on us." Kagome stared as Sesshomaru walked away from her. "Kind of like a collar. Just tell me how to get it off and I can leave you alone."

Sesshomaru stopped to face the miko.

"What non-sense do you speak?" Sesshomaru responded.

Kagome, suddenly angry at his complacency, took hold of the tether and yanked hard downward. What she did not expect was to take Sesshomaru off his feet. He fell face forward, his hands barely had time to cushion his fall. The ground shook slightly as he landed hard. Kagome cringed, hearing a few cracks as the tall demon finally came to a dusty rest. The second time in two days a woman took him off his feet, Kagome mused. Her silent anger momentarily satiated.

"Non-sense enough for you?" Kagome asked coldly.

Two pieces of armor lay on the ground where he once occupied seconds ago. That would have to be replaced, Sesshomaru noted. His anger was roused. By the female human standing defiantly confident where he once lay unconscious. She did not appear to fear him.

Sesshomaru growled. "Do not do that again…"

"Or what?" Kagome folded her arms. "You'll kill me? Please, I'm really tired of hearing that from everyone I've meet this past week, demon and human alike. So, what is this thing? And how do I get the damn thing off?"

Sesshomaru said nothing, gaining his feet once more. She made the point of using the Jewel to show him where the 'collar' wrapped around her neck then turned into a thin wire-like tether. The minute metal link glowed pastel pink. His anger rose higher within, dangerously close to rage. The Demon Witch believed she could defeat him with a Bounder? He chose to remain silent about the extent of their situation.

"Who can we talk to who knows about this stuff?" Kagome added when he did not talk. "You obviously are stumped."

Sesshomaru met her dark eyes firmly set upon him. There was a fire within her, the desire to fight him down, daring him to take her on. Anger did not justify its presence. She was on a mission it seemed. This woman could be dangerous, even for a human. Indeed, a miko could cause him more harm now that they were bounded. Sesshomaru considered her for a moment then realized the miko had a point. They could not go their separate ways unless the Bounder was removed. Quickly. A few demons knew about them. Only one he knew could build one.

And that demon would be difficult to track at the moment.

Sesshomaru began to walk towards the south. It would be another day before reaching the caves of the Southern Valley. Grimmick would not be so welcoming. Most demons did not want to meet up with a more powerful demon than themselves. Grimmick dabbled in the darker side of spells and knew the Demon Witches best. He also knew he had bargaining power with Sesshomaru and his clan.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Kagome felt herself dragging her feet. Sesshomaru walked with such a constant pace, she did not realize that they had walked for six hours straight with no sign of stopping anytime soon. Tired, hungry and sleepy, she could not go on any more. More, she was very thirsty, running out of fresh water an hour ago.

"I've got to stop!" Kagome called out behind Sesshomaru. "I need to rest!"

No response. Angrily, she stopped walking, folding her arms tightly. As if his decisions were the end-all-be-all of their journey. Hah! This could not go on the entire time they were stuck together. She had enough delays to worry about. Kagome stood her ground. She needed to eat, relax and get some sleep soon. Her mouth felt like the Sahara Desert too.

Kagome's eyes widened as the tether began to strain under the two opposite bound together. The pull at her neck worried her. Suddenly, Sesshomaru stopped. Raising her chin, she turned from Sesshomaru, turning back towards the direction they had just walked. The resounding thud had her turning back towards Sesshomaru. The powerful demon lay on the dirt trail once again. She had to stifle a laugh with a hand over her mouth. In a blink of an eye, Sesshomaru stood toe to toe with her, anger in his amber eyes.

"Are you okay?" Kagome forced the expression of concern. "You just kinda fell over. Trouble walking?"

Sesshomaru knew the woman was testing him, the hint of amusement in her dark depths. Anger boiled beneath his skin. His hatred for Humans never diminished and continued to build momentum with this woman. He distinctly heard her laugh at him during his fall. She was trying to keep a concerned face, beginning to fail miserably. That irritated him more.

"Another mile, you will find food, water and a place to rest." Sesshomaru informed her, nearly growling it out.

"Why didn't you say so before?!" Kagome shot back hotly. "If you just communicated once in a while, I wouldn't have to bother talking to you!"

Sesshomaru allowed her ignorance to stand for itself at the moment. Stuck without the possibility of removing the human from his presence aggravated his senses. Her scent was strong tonight, more so than when he first woke. He turned from her, knowing the miko would cooperate long enough to find food and a place to rest providing it was soon.

Kagome walked with satisfaction behind Sesshomaru. For one being so tall, she felt larger than him at the moment. Whatever happened, knowing that he could fall when she decided not to cooperate with him made her feel like a woman blessed. How often did a girl have such capability over a demon? Inuyasha was one thing. He was just a half demon. But a full demon with her same subjugation ability to control him when he was out of line?

She would relish this moment for only a few short seconds. Sesshomaru was certainly not Inuyasha. Moreover, Sesshomaru would find this ability of hers to be an insult. Once this Bounder thing came off, she would have to make sure they were a few meters apart to get ahead of evading any kind of attack he relinquished on her as revenge.

Sesshomaru was not known to be kind.


	3. Chapter 3: Southern Valley

**SESSHOMARU BOUND**

**By Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **Don't own it.

**Author's Notes:** Hope you're enjoying this little brainstorm of mine so far. Still coming up with ideas in addition to updating all my other stories. Been away for a while due to work, out of town kinda stuff. Haven't been around a computer and my laptop's down.

**IVY:** You pointed out that I have Sesshomaru using Tenseiga not Tokijin as his main choice of weapon. Not seen in the anime but in later chapters of the manga; Tokijin is broken and Tenseiga is given an overhaul by Totosai so that Sesshomaru can use Tenseiga in battle. Tokijin is repaired but does not have the same power prior to its breaking. Chapter 358 or 359, something like that…found it on a website somewhere.

Happy times. Happy Reading.

* * *

**CHAPTER 3**

**The Southern Valley**

The journey to the Southern Valley had been relatively pleasant except for setting up camp the night before. Sesshomaru merely sat by a tree and allowed her to do all her own work. He neither tried to talk or make eye contact with her remaining silent the entire time. She made her dinner and read a book not really comprehending what she was supposed to be learning, Kagome thought huffily. It would be better without him yet she felt safe knowing he could not kill her off while she slept.

They needed one another now.

'_Unfortunately true.' _Kagome admitted silently. _'Bet he hates it too.'_

Her tired legs screamed for rest but knew they needed to get to this demon somewhere in this stupid valley, someone who was supposed to know how to get this damn thing from around their necks. She took another gulp of water from her bottle she refilled an hour ago, avoiding any thought about the nagging ache in her legs.

Sesshomaru stopped without warning ahead of her. That meant something was close or they arrived to their destination. She stopped too, waiting and listening. The forest sounded still, too still. No animals cried, hooted or made any noise. A demon must be close. But she felt no other demon aura except Sesshomaru's.

""What is it?" Kagome whispered. "Have we arrived?"

Sesshomaru ignored the human's questions. Surely she felt nothing. No demons were present anywhere in the valley. A valley well known to be inhabited only by demons. Humans kept clear of the Southern Valley. Anyone who ventured here died…slowly.

The lack of demons in the valley meant something.

'_Do they know this Sesshomaru is coming here?'_ Sesshomaru waited several seconds before continuing to walk towards the cliffs at the other end. _'Are the demons lying in wait for my arrival? So word must have spread quickly among the demon world.'_

Meanwhile, Kagome fumed behind him. Her arms folded tightly against her chest wondering what he was thinking about all to himself, she hated not being kept in the loop. Sesshomaru had always traveled the lands doing something or other for as long as she knew about his existence. The head honcho, in charge of himself and himself alone. Anyone who traveled with him were deemed subordinates.

'_If he thinks he's going to treat me like that, he's got another thing comin!' _Kagome lifted her chin with determination.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Sheltered in the high caves above the green Southern Valley floor, two demons and a human sat in dim light from ten candles on the center table. The cave served it purpose as shelter and peace from the other demons below. If there were other belongings, Kagome did not see them. Maybe they were hidden away somewhere. But, the anticipation of a solution was too much to bear. She wanted answers now, not bother with walking all over creation.

Sesshomaru did not care how she felt, seemingly taking command of this little adventure. He sat on the small stool offered by the demon and kept silent. His eyes seemed forever concentrated on the messy and dirty floor. All kinds of bugs crawled around but kept their distance from him.

'_For wearing that kimono day in day out, he sure keeps it spotless.'_ Kagome ran a random thought through her mind. _'How's he do that? Is it a demon trick? I don't think he's ever heard of scotchguard.'_

Kagome found waiting for an answer practically unbearable as the demon, a short purple thing with fours legs and three bulging eyes, considered the tether between his fat, tuberous fingers. Sesshomaru kept one hand on Tenseiga's hilt as the Shikon Jewel held between her fingers was traced along the tethers length between them just a short distance. The demon stopped thoughtfully, rolling the large eyes up, then shifted to Sesshomaru. Occasionally, he glanced at Kagome then back to Sesshomaru.

"You've had long enough, Grimmick." Sesshomaru said finally annoyed.

"Well, well." Grimmick smiled evilly at the pair. "A bounder on the mighty Sesshomaru. Who knew we would live to see this day."

"A Bounder?" Sesshomaru repeated.

That narrowed his amber eyes, Sesshomaru felt the muscles pulled tighter. He suspected the same conclusion but to have it verified by another angered him more. The Demon Witch paid the ultimate price for her deception. Gift indeed, he flexed the fingers of his left hand. Bending his arm at the elbow, he was tempted to rip it off despite the agony it would cause. Yet, the offer of a new arm, one that worked, had drawn him in. And true to her word, it was the perfect replacement. Her gift had to be genuine otherwise her plot would not have succeeded. He would let it stay for now. However, the immediate removal of the Bounder was imperative.

"What does that mean?" Kagome sat up attentively. "This Bounder thing?"

"How long is it?" Grimmick asked.

"About sixty feet, maybe more." Kagome noticed the demon named Grimmick did not understand her measure of length, cursing silently at using the American version of length she learned in the last class she attended at school. "25 paces maybe? Pretty long."

"It's going to be difficult." Grimmick rubbed his chin, smiling. "She's given you at least a month to break it, it seems."

If you could call it a smile Grimmick made with his bulbous face. Hardly charming, Kagome cringed to wonder what made him look like that. She wondered if Sesshomaru knew more than he let on. Obviously, he knew what a Bounder was and was not surprised by the conclusion. Had he suspected it before hand? Both amber eyes narrowed, dangerously she added, when the word had been mentioned.

"How do we get rid of it?" Kagome said impatiently.

'_This is going to put a serious dent in my quest to find the last part of the Shikon Jewel.'_ Kagome lamented, agitated that she needed to wait even longer before going home. She did not know how to get past this sooner. Her journey would have to wait until this Bounder thing came off.

"Sesshomaru knows how." Grimmick smiled even more. "Hasn't he told you yet?"

"Is this true?" Kagome rounded on Sesshomaru, narrowing her eyes. "You lied to me?"

A bright green light flashed, cutting between them. Kagome covered her mouth in shock as the demon split in two. Sesshomaru held his two fingers on his right hand high from the use of his whip, keeping his left hand on Tenseiga's hilt. Kagome frowned, when did he get the hand back? She looked to the floor where the demon with the answers once stood, frowning deeper.

"Did you have to kill him?!" Kagome challenged.

Sesshomaru turned from Kagome without word. He would not give any Human a simple explanation for his actions. The demon obviously did not want to cooperate. Grimmick made the innuendo far too disgusting for consideration. But, he also suspected that such a simple solution was not what the Demon Witch had in mind. To remove the Bounder, he would have to sacrifice much more than Grimmick's insinuation.

"So, that's it?" Kagome placed her hands on her hips. "Because it might make you look bad to all your demon friends, you kill anything that poses a tarnish to your reputation?!"

Sesshomaru stopped walking but remained silent at the statement. The miko had a way of making the situation appear petty. It was not like he could just leave the woman behind and forget her. He had become bound to her by the Demon Witch's magic. That did not mean he would stand for insolence from any other demon.

"He refers to copulation." Sesshomaru spoke evenly. "Most Bounders are the result of Demon Witches bent on revenge or the desire to capture a husband. Sex with your worst enemy is typical of Bounder removal spells."

"Ew!" Kagome felt her skin crawl. "Imagine if I were I guy, that would totally…all right! Let's not go there."

Though she could understand why Demon Witches would do that. _'With their looks, you have to play dirty.'_ If she were evil enough to do that, it made sense to force your enemy to do something they absolutely hated. Kagome realized that meant Sesshomaru's hatred, or strong dislike seemed a better description of she could call it that, of Humans. The Demon Witch needed a human to complete the Bounder and she had been the only one within distance. Maybe someone she knew might know. Kagome pondered a possible ally when a thought popped into her head.

"Ew, talk about Brokeback Mountain." Kagome said suddenly out loud and walked up until the tether pulled taut. "Come on."

She stopped and turned to find Sesshomaru staring at her, his face expressionless. Those amber eyes conveyed his disinterest in accompanying her. He did not find it important enough to follow her, waiting for an explanation. Was he insulted she tried to drag him along?

"You tried one of yours, now it's my turn." Kagome explained, waving him off. "Unless you know something I don't? Holding out on me again?"

Kagome stared at him and waited, her hands on her hips. Sesshomaru made no movement nor had he bothered to look back at her. That meant he was dwelling on his own thoughts and would not share them with a lowly human. This angered Kagome once again. There was no time for bias and discrimination here!

"The least we can do is try anything that might help." She added slightly peevish. "I might know someone who may shed more light on this Bounder thing."

Sesshomaru pondered the woman's logic and found little fault in it. For once, a human made modest sense. Most demons would pursue the Bounder just to watch him suffer. If that information were leaked out amongst demons, he would suffer more than humiliation. By the desertion of the valley, he suspected this had occurred already. Another reason for Grimmick's death before their conversation ended.

But, the demons waiting to see what the Bounder did mattered not to him. The other demons wanting to wait around and see what happened if the Bounder did not come off bothered him. A rare event, but sometimes it did occur. The purpose of the Bounder needed to be exposed. Only a maker or someone with enough spiritual power could decipher its code.

Sesshomaru conceded that they needed to work together despite his detest of association with a human. And so he walked.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The temple remained black except for the single light in the main visitor courtyard emanating from the room where a fire burned brightly. Sesshomaru waited outside, his back to the wall of the temple kept two inches from the structure to avoid touching it physically. His white kimono was discernible in the darkness, just below a window where Kagome had climbed through to maximize the distance of the Bounder's length. He did not want to be part of the conversation inside.

Inside, Miroku and Sango bent over the tether in the light of the Shikon Jewel, fascinated by its existence. Miroku held the tether in his hand, his eyes closed. He yanked, crushed between his fingers and attempted to chew on it as Kagome explained the situation. Her facial expression was one of desperation. But, she chose to keep the whole 'sex-to-get-this-off' thing silent. No need to go into that.

"So…how do we get it off?" Kagome finally got to her question.

"Don't know." Miroku shrugged, dropping the tether. "It depends on the person who placed it one you."

"Miroku!" Kagome wanted to cry. "I can't go home like this!"

"Kagome…do you really want to go home?" Sango queried. "And leave us behind?"

"I…I have no choice." Kagome hung her head, her voice had a sullen tone to it. "I'm from the future, you guys. As much as you've become like family, my life is there. I realize that now. You know it as well as I do. Besides, once I take the Shikon Jewel back with me, all this craziness will go away."

"I'd like to believe that." Miroku sighed, flinching in pain.

Their battle wounds from Naraku were still healing. Both wrapped in bandages on the arms and legs, Sango and Miroku appeared like twins. Sango wore a kimono similar to Miroku's to allow the thickness of the bandages. Shippo's arms were also bandaged as well as his head. KiRaRa was nowhere to be seen.

"We can't go with you?" Shippo looked up with sorrowful eyes.

"Kagome's right. Demons won't survive the Bone Eaters well remember, Shippo?" Sango reminded the young fox demon. "Besides, we're not meant to live there. Our place is here. This is our time."

"Have you considered…" Miroku left off the rest of what he was saying.

Kagome turned bright red in panic.

"What?" Sango rounded on Miroku. "What is it?"

"Some bounders…" Miroku suddenly felt very much the only man in the room. "Well, they say that some Bounders were once used to catch another witch, male ones. Demon women would use them to catch husbands."

Sango slapped Miroku hard. "This is neither the time nor the place for jokes, monk!"

"It's not!" Shippo nodded. "My Father told me a stories about Bounders when I was growing up. Demon witches used them for all sorts of stuff. Mainly revenge. Lots of revenge stories. But, getting a boy because a girl wants one isn't good use of a Bounder."

"True." Miroku readily agreed…too fast. "Very true."

"Miroku." Sango said sweetly. "Obviously, this is not the case here. Kagome did not place the Bounder on herself. She was the victim here just as Sesshomaru is. Let's keep this in perspective, shall we?"

"You're best bet is to find a demon who knows about magic, preferably another demon witch." Miroku grimaced, wanting to change the subject. "I'm still too injured from our battle to decipher it myself. Bounders are difficult to form let alone remove without intimate knowledge of the spell. This magic is very powerful. Whoever placed this one on you, knew what they were doing."

"She used the Shikon Jewel." Kagome informed them. "I realized that only after I woke up."

"She what?!" Miroku appeared very worried despite his tiredness.

"Before the explosion, when I woke up with it?" Kagome watched as they nodded they remembered that part of the story. "Well, it turned a shade of green and swirled with white then it disappeared when I came close to pick it up. Odd uh?"

"This is good." Miroku said thoughtfully. "Your close presence prevented her from using more power from the Jewel. Had she gotten her hand on the actual Jewel, or any part of it, she could've put the Bounder on you a hundred paces away and you'd never know it."

"So, she had to physically place it on me?" Kagome asked hopefully.

"And appears she did just that." Sango nodded. "You mentioned you remember her bending over you at some point. Probably knocked you out to get your cooperation."

Kagome sighed with relief that she still had some spiritual power to fend off demons. At least one piece of good news today. Here Sesshomaru did not want to associate with her or her friends. But, he too wanted to find answers. Apparently, he did not have all the answers after all. Irritating being stuck to him like this, Kagome thought. Who knew how long it would be before she could go home.

"What bothers me is the length." Sango added. "You said the length was very long?"

"About 25 paces right now." Kagome nodded as she spoke. "Is there a problem?"

"When was the last time you measured it?" Sango kept her eyes trained on Kagome.

"I haven't." Kagome suddenly felt panic coming on. "I'm just guessing."

"Hymm." Miroku rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I see your point Sango. You're right to worry."

"What?!" Kagome looked between the two. "What is it?"

"There might be a bigger problem." Sango shook her head. "Father once told me about two demons he came across that couldn't separate when the team attacked them. One tried to use the demon weapons from our group to break the air between them. Eventually, Father and my Uncle killed both. But it took doing it at the same time to make it permanent. I wonder if that was a Bounder as well?"

"What kind of demons were they?" Miroku asked interested. "This could open up a new way to look at the problem."

"I'm trying to remember." Sango shrugged. "Weasel demons, I'm almost positive, not very powerful demons. Thought my father was a bit mad back then. But now, it seems that Bounders are more common than this. Both demons were male. So it must've been bitter enemies connected in that particular case. But the point I'm making is that the length of the Bounder sounds shorter than yours. Bounders may be time sensitive, Kagome."

"Time sensitive…" Kagome sounded alarmed. "How sensitive are we talking about?"

"Sometimes weeks, days, months…" Sango shrugged. "Could be any amount of time. You'll have to measure it everyday just to be sure. If it doesn't shrink, I'd be extremely worried."

"Why would you be worried if it doesn't shrink?" Kagome needed to know.

"That means the purpose of the bounder will take place within a specific period of time." Sango shook her head. "Could be within a week. Bounders can sometimes be for a specific task. It could make you do something and you would be powerless to stop it. So the story goes."

Kagome took a breath. "Like an assassination attempt or something?"

That meant she would need to measure it once she got Sesshomaru into an open field. She doubted very much if he minded stopping to measure. It would give them some kind of idea what they were up against.

"It may be that you're expected to kill someone." Miroku answered grimly. "Or it might kill you. But I've never heard of a Bounder actually killing the wearer."

"It can cause a lot of suffering." Sango added.

Kagome nearly fainted with worry. How could they just talk about it like some normal commonplace occurrence? A bit speculative on their part but it did nothing for her nerves. She needed definite answers. Kagome could think of nowhere else to go to find out more about Bounders.

"So why you then?" Shippo asked Kagome, his face contorted into concentrated thought.

Kagome focused on the small demon and rolled her eyes. "I assume because I was the only human within range and Sesshomaru despises us. Guess she thought it would be funny if he got stuck to one. Seems he was leaving her place when I arrived."

Miroku frowned at that. Kagome ignored him and turned to Sango.

"Yeah, hah, hah." Sango retorted. "Stay for dinner, Kagome."

Kagome jerked as the tether yanked at her neck slightly. Sesshomaru made it quite clear he would not wait so she could eat dinner. As if they had somewhere else to go that they needed to leave immediately for anyway. Kagome frowned, aggravated that she was not allowed to stay with her friends.

Besides, she was not going to be hiking all night. She needed to rest at some point and it was nighttime. Sleep time for her. Kagome pointed towards the window wodrlessly. Miroku and Sango suddenly realized they momentarily forgot that Sesshomaru was outside the room listening. For a demon, he was very silent.

"Can I get it to go?" Kagome asked softly. "I don't think he's got that much patience."


	4. Chapter 4: The Human Factor

**SESSHOMARU BOUND**

**By Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **Don't own it.

**Author's Notes:** Hope you're enjoying this little brainstorm of mine so far. Still coming up with ideas in addition to updating all my other stories. Been away for a while with finishing school and a death in the family to take care of and all. Hope you've had a good Holiday Season.

* * *

**CHAPTER 4**

**The Human Factor**

Kagome ate in silence under the tree, the campfire. She fumed at having to spend the evening practically alone with a demon. Not that he wanted her hanging around anyway. She certainly was not Rin who followed him without question. No, she wanted to just find the remaining part of the Shikon Jewel and then go home. Leave all of this chaos behind.

"I could've just stayed an hour." Kagome mumbled to herself.

Sesshomaru remained quiet.

"I wouldn't have to eat alone." Kagome continued mumbling. "I hate eating alone."

Still he said nothing nor did he attempt to move from his tree. In fact, he remained so quiet at times she forgot he was there. Even in the rustling breeze, he appeared unphased by the heat and humidity. How could he wear all that armor and kimono and not be hot? Kagome wished she could go for a nice swim before bed. Still, something was bugging her.

"How do you do it?" Kagome set her face on Sesshomaru who lifted his eyes to her. "Traveling alone all the time? No friends, no family. Is there someone who gives a damn about you? Don't you care? Doesn't it bother you? No home to go to?"

"Few necessities are required." Came his simple answer. "This Sesshomaru needs no one."

"That's a lie." Kagome said defiantly.

Sesshomaru lifted his head more to look at the woman.

"Everyone needs someone." She shrugged. "We are incapable of doing everything ourselves. We depend on others to help us get to where we want to be. That is the way it is. If no one needed anyone, we wouldn't be people, a species, on this planet. If that were true progress would never happen."

"You speak of Human progress?"

"All progress." Kagome lifted her chin.

"All you know is Human." Sesshomaru returned. "Demons are…"

"Are just the same." Kagome cut him off. "You act like demons are so much better than Humans and yet all of you act just like us. So you have magic power. So what you have more abilities than us. What makes you so damn great? You kill for no reason, you kill for power, you kill for possession of lands and peoples. How does that make you any different from us?"

Kagome blinked, Sesshomaru's left hand was at her throat. He knelt before her, barely lifting her from the ground but she felt no pain. His hand was large, but lacked the dual purple stripes she had seen before. This must be the replacement hand mentioned before. Her eyes darted around it and deemed it well made. The Demon Witch knew what she was doing. The offer of a hand to replace one lost was certainly appealing to a demon of his stature.

"Never compare demons to humans." His tone was dangerous.

Kagome groped around in the air searching for the tether then yanked on it rather hard. She hoped that the Bounder behaved as it had done before. And it did not disappoint her this time either. Sesshomaru fell onto the ground face first before her, his grip around her throat gone. Reminded her how Inuyasha used to hit the ground whenever she yelled 'Sit'. A small fact that made her smile.

"Drop the superiority act, Sesshomaru." Kagome retorted. "Personally, I'm tired of it."

Sesshomaru only growled at her as he gained his feet once more. He needed to put a stop to her handling of him immediately. The fact she possessed the ability annoyed him, nearly driving him into a rage. But the Bounder would not allow him to transform. His demon form required his taking on a larger body compared to his human appearance. The Bounder changed size for no one. A fact that severely irritated him.

Then she did what no other living being did. She got to her feet and stood toe to toe with him. Albeit much shorter than he, she looked up at him with such an expression of anger he never witnessed before in a human. And she did not appear to fear him.

"Where I come from, your kind doesn't exist!" Kagome added vehemently.

With that, she folded her arms and walked away with her chin lifted in the air. If he wanted to cause her harm, it did not come. Then again, Kagome had not expected the slight look of surprise in his eyes as he got to his feet again.

Sesshomaru stared at the woman for a moment then walked off into the darkness. Had she found a way to hurt him? No one touched this Sesshomaru. Certainly no Human.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Hours passed slowly for him.

But it gave him time to think. He returned to camp shortly before the human went to 'sleep', taking up position under a tall tree. Rest did wonders except for the mind.

The miko claimed she came from a time when no demons existed. Impossible. He never once gave thought to her presence among humans. Her unusual style of dress, how she behaved differently from the other humans indicated that she did not belong here. His reasoning told him she lived in a place where women were given more freedoms.

This might be a problem.

Worse, his own mind told him that time was too short. If he were to find a method to remove the Bounder, he needed it deciphered. Jaken and Rin were waiting for him near the edge of his lands between Humans and Demons. They would wait for his return. Still, that might be some time.

Now, there was another consideration to be made. Sesshomaru cursed himself and the Demon Witch silently at the idea. Yet he had to know if the Bounder might respond to the possibility. Even if it were unlikely. He shifted his seat against the tree then got to his feet. Taking a deep breath, he neared where Kagome rested on a 'sleeping bag'. It was a warm night and she chose to sleep on the top, not in it.

Kagome slept on her stomach at the moment. The thought of attempting this on a woman, let alone a human disgusted him. Yet, it would make getting the Bounder off that much sooner if the legend were true. Conceding to his action, Sesshomaru placed his hand where her legs parted. He pressed his long fingers where the heat radiated out of the miko. She moaned softly then shifted, her one leg moving farther out.

'_The human is ready to mate.' _

More than that, her body wished to feel the touch of a willing male. She would go into her cycle shortly, within the week if her scent were any indication. Her purity remained hers at such an older age compared to other equivalent human females. He caught her scent during their visit to Grimmick. This was why Grimmick mentioned the copulation between the two creatures forced and bounded.

While not completely eliminating the Bounder, it would severely weaken the holding spell was his suspicion. If the Demonslayer knew her lore, then the Bounder would no doubt be time sensitive. A fact he had not considered. The visit to Kagome's friends had not been completely useless after all.

The Bounder shimmered, giving off light even though he could not see it without the aid of the Jewel. A blue light sparkled then turned green and swirled with white. He had his answer. And it bothered him. Sesshomaru lifted his eyes to the sky.

Kagome moaned again. Sesshomaru bent his head, finding his new left hand beneath the fabric of the tight clothing she wore over her hips. He touched the wetness where the heat escaped her body, enticing him only slightly. A woman ready to mate often lured many demons to explore. However, he was above such low breeding. He took his hand back, brushing against her on the way out. She responded accordingly.

Sesshomaru fisted his hand tightly, drawing blood where his nails dug into his own flesh.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The next morning, Kagome woke feeling a bit…jittery. Last night proved to be very odd, her dreams of men hanging around her as her own personal harem. Even one of the men trying to take her to bed threw her off. She did dream of this stuff generally as a rule. She half woke last night, finding Sesshomaru sitting closer to her than when she had gone to bed. The demon disappeared this morning despite being bounded.

"The Bounder has reduced by a pace." Sesshomaru appeared from behind the tree.

Kagome sat straight up, alarmed. Then she took a deep breath, Sango said it was better to have the Bounder reduce its length than stay the same length. Still, that did not do much to quell her fear of something bad happening anyway.

"What do we do?" Kagome wanted to panic all the same. "It's only been four days since we've been bounded."

Sesshomaru stood waiting for Kagome to clear up camp. He would not aid her in such daily chores she insisted upon creating. He was patient. Sesshomaru knew he could nothing about this waste of time. However, the human appeared to be more agreeable this morning.

"Increase the speed of the search." Came his simple response.

"What do you suggest?" Kagome asked as she packed her stuff up.

"Totosai must be found." Sesshomaru felt no reason to keep it secret. "You know him."

"He's not at his home?" Kagome stopped for a moment. "He won't be happy to see you."

Sesshomaru withheld his anger. She had the ability to point out the simplest observations. Totosai always avoided dealing with him on every occasion running to Inuyasha and this miko for protection. Perhaps the demon sword maker would stay put for once and answer his questions with her in his company.

"Where's Rin?" Kagome lifted her pack onto her back.

"Under Jaken's care." Sesshomaru responded evenly.

Kagome stopped to stare at him.

"So, you really don't have a problem with all Humans, just a majority of them?" Kagome watched him closely but found his expression blank.

"Silence." Sesshomaru wanted no further communication.

The scent of her increased since last night. She was close to beginning her cycle. Sesshomaru turned to walk towards the path they traveled the night before, dismissing her physical state as mere conclusion based on her scent. They would need to cover much ground today to catch up with the target.

"Listen, we both know you probably can't kill me while we're Bounded." Kagome took a deep breath. "If I'm going to travel with you, you're just gonna have to get used to the idea of me asking questions."

Sesshomaru began walking the trail they left behind the previous night. It would be wise to maintain his distance. She could easily irritate him, rousing his anger needlessly. The simple of solution was killing the Bounder. With the task completed, the Boundee could be free.

However, Sesshomaru knew the Demon Witch must have accounted for this logic. She was not one to miss a single detail. Taking years to create a replacement arm to lure him to her residence, she planned this revenge over some time. The Bounder was created with a specific purpose. The simple solution would not work.

Killing the miko meant killing himself.

But that was if he was the Boundee. He had little proof that the Human was the Bounder, the creature used to bound the other into controlled behavior. Still, he deduced the miko was indeed the Bounder based on her ability to take him off his feet with a single shake of the tether between them. His own anger roused at the idea of being the Boundee.

'_This Sesshomaru obeys no one.' _

His best course of action would be to find the Swordmaker. With some reasoning, he could discover the true purpose of the Bounder.

He stopped when several auras came within range of his senses. Demons? A pack of demons were coming his way? Traveling or searching for him? Had the news of the Bounder spread quickly? Grimmick died before he could get the word out.

Perhaps a spy?


	5. Chapter 5: Awakening Kagome

**SESSHOMARU BOUND**

**By Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **Don't own it.

**Author's Notes:** Been away for a while. So, so sorry, but it couldn't be helped. Had a serious crisis to handle. No time to triple check for errors. Forgive them if there's any!

* * *

**CHAPTER 5**

**Awakening Kagome**

Kagome woke the next morning consciously aware of Sesshomaru. Had her dreams of the previous night not been so…erotic, she would not have any problems this morning making breakfast and cleaning up.

As she packed up her things to continue on their journey, she made sure not to take her eyes off him. Not that he seemed interested in her anyway. But, being so self-conscious she would inevitably make some kind of stupid mistake or say something weird. She must not let him know what she dreamt.

Still, it bothered her. The dreams were far too odd. She never dreamt of this stuff. Kagome sighed silently to herself, scolding that she was being foolish. Sesshomaru hated Humans and regarded them with disgust.

'_But why did I have these dreams last night then?' _

Kagome asked herself is Sesshomaru was capable of _'touching'_ someone human. She dismissed the thought quickly. No way! He would never do that. Still, she had some nagging doubt about that conclusion.

If that demon, Grimmick, indicated that sex might be a way to remove the Bounder, she could understand that someone might 'do that'. Still, this was Sesshomaru she was discussing here. He detested humans and would never sink to that level.

Aware of the Human's obvious change in thought pattern, Sesshomaru leaned against the tree waiting for her to complete her deconstruction of camp. Her body remembered him and conveyed that through her dreams.

Dreams that made her uneasy about him this morning as her body language indicated. He would take heed and not provoke more 'awakenings' until more was known about the true purpose of the Bounder.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

A darkened castle loomed over the small hill on which it sat, no villages or persons visible. The landscape around it was drowned in white light from the morning sun. But the castle appeared deserted for some time.

His little followers and loyal infiltrators caught everything. He watched the miko in the mirrored water as she scrambled to gather camp. Sesshomaru touched her during the night to learn more about the invisible tether that bound them.

Naraku sat back against the cold wall, the darkness of the room hiding his male human form with the exception of his eyes. He looked as a man just recently crowned king, happy in his possession of lands. The news could not have come at a better time.

"So, Sesshomaru and the Human are bound together." He smiled. "A revelation indeed."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Kagome walked in silence as Sesshomaru walked ahead of her. He preferred to keep her behind him. The old tradition of men first, women last. She fumed that he was insulting her sense of equality. Shaking her head, she could not let the little things get to her. A few more days and she would find the Jewel and return home.

She had to keep her mind focused on the big picture.

Kagome looked up at Sesshomaru, her eyes setting on his long white hair. _'Looks just like Inuyasha's hair.' _She heaved a silent sigh. Her jaw tensed as she diverted any thought from veering towards the younger brother, or half brother as it were. They were so different.

Sesshomaru seemed to walk without hurry, almost a stealth and seamless movement as they walked towards the south-southwest. His back never showed weariness nor did he exhibit signs of restlessness.

Sesshomaru stopped then turned to his left. She halted, almost tripping over her own foot. Shifting her gaze from the forest and back, his eyes seemed set on the thick forest here. Shrugging slightly, she waited quietly for him to decide what he would do while trying not to appear too bored.

Kagome lifted her head from thought knowing something was wrong. Sesshomaru would not stop unless there was a possible threat lurking. Then she felt it. There were five of them…

And they were HERE!

Sesshomaru merely levitated off the ground, landing where none of the five demons could reach him. The tether barely reached the distance, slightly tugging at the neck. The woman below him fell off her feet, just missing the out-stretched claw of the shortest demon.

Sesshomaru committed that moment to memory.

Tenseiga came out from its sheath. Now that Totosai altered his father's legacy to fight battles, he found the sword more to his liking. These mere inferior demons believed they could destroy this Sesshomaru bound to a Human.

They were quite mistaken.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Kagome knew that her options were limited being attached to Sesshomaru like a pet. He already made it clear that he would do all that was necessary to evade his opponents during battle. She would have to defend for herself if she wanted to find the Shikon Jewel and return home. And she lost her backpack somewhere by the trees when she lost her footing upon the demon's arrival.

They came so fast and furious!

Seven of them all together, two arriving seconds after the initial five landed. Within seconds, she had her arrow aimed at the nearest one, a lowly little worm demon eagerly making its way at her. Kagome pulled back on the bow.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a massive wall of demon coming at her from the side. She pivoted to take a good look then fear froze her. She threw up her arm and cringed. No scream escaped, knowing Sesshomaru would not come to her aid as Inuyasha once did. No, she was alone here.

Then she felt the pain in her neck from being swept off her feet. Her arrows fell from her carrier, her bow dropped to the ground. Sesshomaru must have forgotten she was tethered and preceded to engage in battle as he saw fit.

'_Jerk!'_ Kagome's eyes widened.

Sesshomaru's long slender fingers gripped her throat, his armor at her back. Kagome looked up at his face frozen with the glimmer of battle in his eyes. He was patiently angry, his amber eyes never leaving the demons momentarily dazed from battle.

"Never take your eyes off the enemy!" Sesshomaru growled.

Then he let her go and leapt towards he second largest demon aiming for them. He did not see Kagome's eyes blur then her body grow limp. She fell to the ground unconscious.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Kagome opened her streaming eyes, the blue sky above her with large puffy white clouds. The sound of clashing swords brought her back to reality. What happened after Sesshomaru let her go? Did she get hit? Somehow she lost consciousness. How much time had passed since then?

She looked around, finding Sesshomaru on one knee, Tenseiga held tightly in his left hand. Two demons lay dead, another huffed from serious struggle with the Dog demon. Even with one arm, Sesshomaru fought bravely and with courage. He did not use the new arm in battle, probably so used to not having one in the past. It would take some time integrating the new arm.

'_Or he doesn't want to use it on principle.'_ Kagome thought. _'He's probably stiff miffed he got suckered into the trap of getting a new, he won't use it cause he got caught wanting his arm back.'_

"What the…"

Kagome lifted her head, her eyes widened. Two of the demons had her pinned to the ground by her ankles. Her hands were stuck to the ground with some kind of gooey substance and spread far apart. The worm demon inched his way towards her feet, it's tongue hanging out like a dog about to drink water after a hot day. Fear rose in her.

'What the hell is it doing?' Kagome frowned.

The worm demon stopped at her feet then inched forward. The varied species demon holding down her right ankle nodded and growled something. Then the worm demon crawled between her legs. She squeezed her eyes closed tightly.

Only when her briefs ripped open, she realized what the demon's true intention was. She tried to struggle but found the demons merely laughed at her feeble attempts. Her chest felt heavy, she found it difficult to breathe. The worm's tongue found her…

Kagome's mouth gaped open.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Fire in his loins alerted him to Kagome's plight.

The human was easily over powered by two demons with the worm demon attempting to feast on her flesh. Demons knew the only way to weaken him was through the Bounder. As the Boundee, he had no choice but to relent and would be defeated if they succeeded.

The demon worm spit out a greenish-yellow substance from its mouth then glued Kagome to the ground at her wrists.

Sesshomaru turned towards his opponent, the large demon of many origins that came at him with such ferociousness he had not fought in many years. Never had one opponent challenged with him with such raw physical power that seemingly had no end. Brute strength it had, but no ability to apply tactics and strategy against him.

This Sesshomaru would defeat such inferior demons with little effort.

However.

His arrogance had proved there was one flaw. The human woman was his only weakness. These demons were using everything at their disposal to weaken him then defeat him, awakening the needs of the human miko's flesh. They would wait until the woman found pleasure then wait for this Sesshomaru to fall to his needs.

The Bounder could be truly terrifying.

Responding to basic needs was a natural response for inferior beings, not for beings of noble breeding. To give to such emotions went against all he learned. Insulted that he, too, would be subjected to such animal instincts, Sesshomaru knew that to avoid becoming a victim of the Bounder, the woman would need to be rescued immediately. They were close to breaching her…innocent needs.

Insolence.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Kagome found her body responding in such… _'Oh crap! This can't be happening!'_

Her brain screamed for everything to stop. She writhed against the substance that held her hands, against the demons that held her ankles. Part of her cringed while the other part liked…she felt a shiver shoot through her. The demons were so engrossed by her situation, they failed to notice anything else happening around them.

Suddenly the attack on her body stopped.

Her body shivered once the demon was removed, her lungs seemed to have trouble working properly. Is this was sex was supposed to feel like? Kagome suddenly panicked, it could have gone on longer…she cringed.

She opened her eyes to find Sesshomaru standing over her, staring down at her with disgust, casting her in shadows from the sun. Her eyes looked him up and down, finding that he had more than apt opponent in battle. His kimono was ripped at the right cuff. Both swords were sheathed at his waist.

It was then she noticed something different about Sesshomaru. There was a bulge…where one should not be, at least not on Sesshomaru. Kagome found herself staring at it, her brain short-circuited momentarily. He was male…but she never really imagined him to be…the bulge was rather large.

Kagome blinked then realized that Sesshomaru continued to stare down his nose at her. She shrunk back slightly at his lingered stare then he turned from her and walked away as if she was only a momentary interest.

She gulped finding her hands were now free from the demon sticky substance. Her ankles were loose from the demons that bound them. Their remaining body parts were strewn across the field. It was then she realized her briefs were…well…wide open. Her face burned brightly from the embarrassment.

'_And he didn't even look.'_ Kagome realized.

Was she annoyed he did not seem interested or embarrassed that he might have seen her? But then he did have that bulge in his pants. Perhaps he already saw her coochie region before she opened her eyes and decided to save her some humiliation by walking away? Would Sesshomaru actually do that? Walk away? Let alone save her some humiliation?

Kagome quickly got to her feet.

All was well, Kagome concluded for the moment, deciding that to linger on what just happened would only cause more harm than good. Shaken but not defeated in her eyes. Still, her body quivered a bit, her legs shaky from the ordeal. The worm may have been ugly…but what it did to her…well. Would she be able to forget this ever happened?

'_Don't think about it!'_ Kagome ordered herself. _'Just get past it. Do what you need to do to get home and never come back!'_

All in all, she did not really lose anything in the battle. Yeah, her briefs were ripped apart, but she had a sewing kit for that and an extra pair just in case. Sesshomaru would not speak of what happened here to anyone. And all the demons here were dead.

Finding her backpack again, she retrieved it and went off into a thicket of tress. Minutes later she emerged with her briefs changed and joined Sesshomaru who stood waiting where a trail began at the forest's edge.

Kagome did not bother looking at Sesshomaru, seeing as the demon walked off ahead of her anyway. _'No manners at all! Honestly, like he's some sort of important person or something.' _She hoped they would find Totosai soon. She wanted some answers. And some solace with someone she considered a friend. She really needed a friend right now.

Sesshomaru was too much a stranger.


	6. Chapter 6: Sesshomaru's Decision

**SESSHOMARU BOUND**

**By Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **Don't own it.

**Author's Notes:** HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I just redid this chapter. I didn't have time to edit before and found some errors I wanted to correct.

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX**

**Sesshomaru's Decision**

Kagome waited the air so thick with silence she could cut it with a knife. As if the embarrassing incident with the three demons was not enough, now she had to endure the constant staring and critical eye of the demon standing in front of her now.

Totosai inspected Kagome's neck closely, using the Shikon Jewel half Kagome had with her to inspect the craftsmanship of the Bounder line. Her chin lifted high, her eyes followed the old demon as he glanced around and down at the line shimmering in the Shikon Jewel's light.

"Not one of mine." Declared the old demon sword-smith finally then continued on as if thinking out loud. "The handy-work was done way too fast. Hymm, wasn't enough time to cool between spells. It won't be as strong as some of the others I've seen."

Totosai handed Kagome back the Shikon Jewel. He had no need for it. Besides, the girl looked a little worse for wear, more so now than when she traveled with Inuyasha. He heard the stories of Naraku's spell over the younger Halfling.

"You make them?!" Kagome's mouth dropped. "As if they're jewelry?"

"They're rather easy to make, Kagome." Totosai smiled then lost it at Kagome's angry face. "A basic skill all any Swordmaker learns before forming any sword, a way to hone one's skill. As I remember it some use bounders to keep pets close to home. Most of the requests come from female demons looking to capture a mate."

"I'm NOT a pet!" Kagome took a deep breath knowing her desire to go home was at an all time high. "So, why am I bound to him?"

It felt so strange being left to her own devices in this place with no way home. In less than two months, all she knew of the Feudal era was turned upside down. She lost her travel companions to serious possible critical injuries and needed to recover. Inuyasha no longer remembered her, choosing to return to his forest. And now she was stuck to his older brother who despised all humans. What next?

"Ha! You are not Bound to him." Totosai snorted and pointed a bony finger at Kagome. "Sesshomaru is bound to you."

"What?" Kagome frowned confused. "I don't understand."

She noticed that Sesshomaru kept silent the entire time choosing to keep his eyes on the floor not to mention keep out of Totosai's way. So, he knew this already. _'Jerk!'_ He did not even consider it necessary to inform her of everything since she was just a mere human. There was no time for this!

"Few minds can understand the…" Sesshomaru was cut off.

"Surely, you've been able to knock him off his feet a few times?" Totosai saw Kagome's blush and smiled without thought to what the dog demon might do to him. "That's what I thought. That demon witch wanted Sesshomaru to suffer something. Not sure what exactly. I'll get down to it after lunch."

Totosai turned his back on Kagome and went over to her backpack. She usually carried something tasty to eat and now was his chance to relish in flavor. Kagome only stared at the Swordmaker in awe and frowned, letting her thoughts take over.

"Can we break the Bounder with the piece of the Shikon Jewel I have now?" Kagome asked hopefully.

'_It was good for a whole bunch of other stuff'_, she thought inwardly. Why not this Bounder thing too? Surely there was some kind of spell that could wisk this Bounder off in no time! If the Shikon Jewel could not do it, what would?

"Possibly." Totosai looked to Sesshomaru then back at Kagome. "Where's the Demon Witch who did this?"

"He killed her." Kagome pointed at Sesshomaru with her thumb and shook her head. "He has no people skills."

"A good thing, she would never have removed it anyway." Totosai replied evenly disappointed that her pack was void of tasty food. "Her being alive would've allowed her to strengthen it even at a distance. From what I gather, she didn't like the Dog General. I doubt she had a place in her heart for either of his sons."

"What aren't you telling me?" Kagome wanted answers.

'_Don't panic, don't panic. It's just a temporary set back. Another few days and this will all go away. There is a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, after all!'_ But there was no denying that all she really wanted was just to go home and forget this place.

"Bounders are difficult to remove." Totosai rubbed his chin. "Not sure if the Shikon Jewel will be powerful enough. Bounders are a different kind of spell. Unless you have the whole Shikon Jewel, there's no point in trying."

"Naraku made sure he got part of it." Kagome informed Totosai. "I swear he knew something was up and made off with it while I wasn't paying attention. Jerk."

She folded her arms feeling a failure. Naraku was a never-ending pain in her ass. He broke up her group and nearly destroyed Inuyasha. Miroku and Sango barely made it out alive. Thanks to KiRaRa, she would not be here today. She would make him pay somehow.

"He does seem to do that." Totosai could tell Kagome was down about the whole ordeal. "Odd, did the witch say anything before she put this on?"

"Not that I recall." Kagome shrugged. "I was mostly unconscious when it happened. Why?"

"Witches like to force people to do things that benefit them somehow." Totosai grimaced. "Back four thousand years ago, they used to play games with them, forcing the victim to do something against their beliefs to remove it. Lots of half-breeds were born that way."

"EW!" Kagome did not know how else to react. "Can we change the subject?! That's really wrong on so many levels. You're kidding right?"

So Sesshomaru's situation was not new. In fact, his was quite well known amongst the historians it seemed. It was also well known that he detested Humans. And if this Demon Witch hated his clan enough, she would want some form of revenge. Revenge for what exactly?

"I really wish I were, Kagome." Totosai giggled. "But that was four-thousand years ago."

"The witch's purpose was clear." Sesshomaru spoke for the first time, flexing his new arm and fisting his hand. "She lured this Sesshomaru with the offer of a new arm."

"Really now." Totosai cautiously looked at the arm from a distance. "That does change things a bit."

Kagome fumed at having been forgotten as the old demon went to Sesshomaru and sat himself on a stool in front of the dog demon. Her eye narrowed when he took a long look at the arm offered by Inuyasha's older brother. They began a quiet conversation, more like Totosai doing all the talking, but seemingly in words she did not understand.

Kagome felt a pang of guilt. She still remembered the time Sesshomaru lost his arm in battle against Inuyasha shortly after her initial arrival. They had just met only a short time before and Inuyasha had to dodge being killed by his brother. She pulled Tetsusaiga out of its place that allowed Inuyasha to wield Tetsusaiga left to him by his father.

Now she was stuck with Sesshomaru all because some Demon Witch wanted some kind of revenge on their clan. Revenge for something Sesshomaru's father had done. Why could she not just have avoided this whole mess and gone home forever?

Anyway, it was best to leave the two demons to themselves. They did not seem to care that she was here. Besides, she had some thinking she needed to do. Kagome lowered her head, folded her arms and left the cave.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Kagome finally escaped the confines of the cave that felt far too claustrophobic. She had not noticed he received a new arm until he spoke of it, oblivious to his situation since she was so consumed with her own. The demon witch gave it to him as some kind of offer. She doubted it out of friendship. No, the demon witch wanted a way to get close to Sesshomaru.

Sitting on the ledge thirty meters from the cave entrance, Kagome took a deep breath and dropped her shoulders. She lifted her eyes to the horizon.

Where would they go from here? What path would they take to find a way to take this Bounder off? Would the Shikon Jewel as a whole offer up a solution? She had no answers. Most of the time the questions she needed to ask, she did not know how or what questions to ask.

Not that she would get many answers. Sesshomaru did not seem the talkative type nor did he like to share knowledge. He responded in a limited manner on the rare occasion. Suddenly, she realized how alone she felt. Sango and Miroku were always good to have around. She missed Shippo and KiRaRa. Even Inuyasha.

Inuyasha.

The half-demon she tried to forget. Naraku made him forget her and want nothing to do with her or the others. That hurt deep. But, she also knew that it was time to put an end to the trips through the well.

It was time to make the Shikon Jewel whole and return to her time where she could permanently seal the Bone Eaters Well. She knew approximately where the Shikon Jewel half might be. She could feel it from a distance. But right now, all she felt was a bit confused.

Totosai was supposed to help them. But he offered little new information, unless Sesshomaru was more forthcoming with the old demon. She doubted that. The dog demon showed little interest in conversation.

She yawned then realizing how tired she was. Noting her backpack was close by she would take a quick nap. _'Nothing wrong with getting a little sleep, rite?' _Humans were not like Demons in that regard. Demons needed little sleep as far as she could tell.

And Sesshomaru did not seem to care if she got tired. Well now that she was in control with the Bounder thing, she would make sure to stop when she was tired. And there was nothing he could do about it!

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Totosai sighed when Kagome left the cave. He lowered his head a bit then put down his staff. Sesshomaru would not be as understanding as Inuyasha. But, since the Bounder was on the elder brother, Sesshomaru and not Inuyasha, there was much to discuss before they left on the journey to find the Shikon Jewel. It would be needed to weaken the Bounder at least.

"You know what you must do." Totosai began suddenly serious.

Sesshomaru remained silent.

"If you do not, you forfeit the extended time." Totosai scratched his chin. "The Demon Witch suspected you would rather die than do this. If I was to guess she might have gone after Inuyasha. But since he was made to forget the last fifty some years by Naraku, the Demon Witch focused on you instead."

Sesshomaru said nothing, remaining eerily still.

"Unless you did something to her."

"This Sesshomaru has never met her before." He finally spoke up, his own thoughts convoluted.

"Did she indicate wanting Tenseiga?" Totosai got no response. "Perhaps she wanted you after all. Why deal with a half-breed when a full demon is more potent?"

Sesshomaru lifted his amber eyes to Totosai.

"But then, you are a smart demon due to your breeding." Totosai picked up his staff again. "You probably figured this out already why she wanted to lure you into her trap. Too strong for her so she came up with the Bounder at the last moment. She knew you wouldn't let her live to explain why."

Totosai paused, Sesshomaru kept quiet listening.

"Your father would not have wanted you to suffer like this." The old demon shook his head. "No, not like this."

"The Demon Witch suspects correctly but she underestimated this Sesshomaru's powers." Sesshomaru replied quietly. "Father left a way to escape?"

"I'm afraid not at this juncture." Totosai sighed and began pacing back and forth. "Since you cannot wield Tetsusaiga and the purified, whole Shikon Jewel at the same time, you will not gain freedom. Fex knew this about your father's legacy. Many demons know."

Sesshomaru only stared at the demon, silent for the moment.

"She intends to kill you, Sesshomaru." Totosai remained solemn as he continued. "That is why she needed the Shikon Jewel to seal the Bounder. Kagome was nothing more than a happenstance since she carried part of the Shikon Jewel with her. Fex must've seen this as her lucky day and lured the miko her way. It's good Kagome only possessed a portion of the jewel and not the whole thing. But that doesn't mean your journey will be any easier. There'll be no spell that can break the Bounder efficiently. However, Fex did not anticipate to whom you are Bounded."

Sesshomaru turned his head to the Swordmaker.

"She gave you a way out." Totosai nodded. "Unknowingly is obvious. The Human you're bounded to is a very powerful Miko despite her Human qualities. She can wield both Tetsusaiga and the Shikon Jewel. She can free you both."

Sesshomaru suddenly got to his feet and turned his back, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"There is no possible way to use the Shikon Jewel with the miko's help, Totosai."

"You forget Tenseiga." Totosai smiled slightly. "The swords ability to save lives in connection with the Jewel may be enough to cut the tie that binds you after slicing the line with Tetsusaiga. You must be precise with both Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga. You just need to find Inuyasha to get Tetsusaiga."

The Dog Demon remained silent.

"Don't be a fool, Sesshomaru." He sighed. "Do what must be done. Your Father knew Fex might go after one or both of you. Since Inuyasha has lost his memories thanks to Naraku, that left only you to try getting her revenge. Combine the power of the purified Jewel, Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga."

Totosai paused. "Has the awakening occurred yet?"

"Last night." Sesshomaru spoke softly. "The lure of the Bounder proved difficult to ignore."

"You held off long enough. That's pretty good for a Boundee." Totosai rubbed his chin. "You know what must be done to live long enough to break the Bounder. Don't let your pride get in the way this time. Death by a Bounder is far more insulting."

Sesshomaru fisted his new hand tightly. For once, the old demon made sense. And it infuriated him and his sense of duty. Father, at least, knew that a demon witch might try to snare his son in a Bounder and gave him a way out. Still, the miko being a necessary part of his escape insulted everything he stood for.

How had this Sesshomaru fell for such a simple trick?

That would be a question he would ponder on their journey to find Inuyasha. His little brother was known to be hanging out in the forest of the same name since Naraku removed part of little brother's memory.

There, he would take Tetsusaiga with the miko's help and begin their journey to remove the Bounder.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Kagome woke from her nap. She became so tired while waiting for the two demons to finish conversing she dropped off unexpectedly and slept deeply. Her sleeping bag was laid out under her to give her a little reprieve from the hard rock beneath her. The backpack she carried all her supplies sat next to her head.

Sitting up, she found Sesshomaru resting against the rock face near the caves entrance. A thought occurred to her. It just might work. Getting to her feet, she straightened her uniform and walked towards Sesshomaru.

Once she neared him, Sesshomaru lifted his eyes to her.

"I'll make you a deal, Sesshomaru." Kagome folded her arms, her eyes on Sesshomaru. "Help me get the Shikon Jewel back into its whole state and I wish this thing off us. Then I can go home. You get rid of me, I get rid of you. It's a win-win situation."

Sesshomaru stared at brazen forthright of the woman. Few women were bold enough to offer a proposal. None presented such a proposal in such a non-formal format and with such defiant confidence in his presence.

"You believe the Shikon Jewel will free us from this tether?"

"Yeah. It'll give us whatever we want most." Kagome lifted her chin confidently. "I figure by the time we find the other half, the only desire we'll have is to get away from one another. I know you hate humans and I really don't want to stay here in the dark ages anymore."

"Home is?"

Not that he cared about humans. _'Odd this Sesshomaru should ask this miko a question of inquiry.'_ Perhaps the tether forced him to think about the plight of the woman. Sesshomaru lowered his amber eyes to the ground nonchalant.

"500 years into the future." Kagome smiled then babbled on. "No demons, no fighting, no stupid civil wars. Just peace and quiet, college if I'm lucky and maybe a boyfriend or two."

"Inuyasha?"

Kagome lost her smile, hesitating before answering.

"He's made his choice." Kagome shifted her eyes to the ground, keeping her head held high. "I've wasted enough time. We got a deal or not?"

Sesshomaru lifted his eyes to stare at the miko then nodded.

'_That went easier than expected.'_ Kagome half expected him to strike her down then and there. _'Wonder why he didn't say no?' _She considered and half expected him to ignore her proposal and leave had he not struck her down. Sesshomaru continued to surprise her just when she thought she had him figured out.

Sesshomaru rose to his feet eerily calm.

"Come." Was all he said and he walked off.

"Where're we going?" Kagome frowned, her hands on her hips.

"To find Inuyasha." Sesshomaru began walking away. "He will be lurking around in the Forest of Inuyasha."

Kagome gulped at the idea.

Inuyasha?

She would have to see him again? What did Sesshomaru need to search for his younger brother for? Then it hit her. He needed Tetsusaiga. That was it! But Inuyasha would not relent it so easily. And of course, he needed her to carry the sword since Sesshomaru was not allowed to use the sword's power himself.

'_A few more days, girl!'_ Kagome winced at the notion. _'A few more days, that's all you need to think about. You can get through this! Keep to the plan!'_


	7. Chapter 7: Unsealed

**SESSHOMARU BOUND**

**By Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **Don't own it.

**Author's Notes:** Crazy things have happened: moved, family member has been diagnosed with blood cancer, busy as hell with work, what else can happen now? Ok, read.

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

**Unsealed**

Around midnight, Sesshomaru lost in thought, realized the miko must be tired and would not walk anymore if they did not stop soon. Despite her lack of interest in talking to him, he found that the silence was more troublesome. She did not convey her inner thoughts typical of her species. It was simpler to understand her mood by the subjects she discussed on her end.

It was then that she stopped in her tracks and refused to budge. He felt the Bounder grow rigid and stopped. Though she said nothing, Sesshomaru knew full well the Human understood she possessed the upper hand with him now. This Bounder would not be kind until they found the key to remove it.

"Camp here." He spoke quietly.

Kagome merely nodded with a small high-pitched sound and took off her backpack. She began to make camp from out of her backpack near a thick tree. Since the night sky clouded up in the last few hours, she thought rain was a possibility. Fearing the possibility of getting wet, she pulled out the tarp she grudgingly brought with her at grandfather's request.

Perhaps it was a good idea after all.

She wondered how much longer it would be until she saw them again; Grandfather, mother and Sota? What was only days seemed like weeks ago. Kagome never expected her life to change so drastically as it had. And being stuck with Inuyasha's brother certainly put a damper on her plans. She would just have to seal the well after this nightmare ended.

How she would seal the well still eluded her but something would crop up sooner or later. Kagome jerked her head confident she would succeed. Someone had to know how this was accomplished.

With camp nearly set up, Kagome began to think of something that had been bothering her. Some would say she was spoiled maybe but she could not help thinking about it. Though tired from the journey, what she wanted more than anything was a nice hot bath. Probably not possible here but it was such a nice thought. She began to hum as she rolled her backpack to use it as a pillow.

In fifteen minutes, she made camp and washed her face using the wet wipes mother packed. She found a granola bar long thought lost at the bottom and quickly made it disappear. Brushing her teeth, she found Sesshomaru settled across the way, leaning against the tree. Kagome watched him for a few seconds as she finished the circular pattern over two minutes.

Rinsing her mouth out, she found herself thinking about Sesshomaru. He seemed his usual distant self. Not wanting to bother him with pointless small talk that he ignored anyway, she could not help wonder what he was thinking. He always kept his thoughts to himself and rarely did he venture to let anyone in.

"There are several hot springs fifty meters from here." Sesshomaru spoke evenly. "Well within the limits of the Bounder."

He smelled the waters from where he sat. The Humans liked the soothing hot water the springs offered for some reason. The water did not change their scent. But he did detect that her mood immediately cheered as happiness creeped onto her face. She nodded quickly and quickly gathered several articles of clothing together.

"That would be great!" Kagome said nothing more as she walked off excitedly.

Sesshomaru waited until the miko disappeared from camp to stand. His purpose for disclosing the hot springs was of his own agenda. Totosai had indeed been correct.

'Such an irritation that this Sesshomaru must bow to this Bounder.'

Yet he knew that to in order to survive, he must obey the rules. The Demon Witch knew what she was doing luring him to her lair. If the miko had not passed by, she may have had a different plan in place and attempt to kill him there.

Since the miko was chasing the Shikon Jewel shards, the witch believed she could take the shards and use them on the Bounder to secure his fate. Alas that fate was currently moving slowly at the expense of the miko's power. Yet, it was the witch's miscalculation that led to the Bounder not being completely sealed.

A fact he learned from Totosai.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Totosai waited until Kagome left the cave, obviously frustrated that the Bounder remained around her neck. The old demon kept the conversation low and uninteresting on purpose. Sesshomaru showed little interest in keeping up the fasod and chose to say nothing in the presence of the miko.

"_You know what must be done." Totosai said after several seconds._

_Kagome appeared to have completely left._

"_There is no getting around it." Scratching his chin. "But Fex didn't completely seal the Bounder."_

"_The Bounder is not sealed?" Sesshomaru's eyes rose from the floor._

Sesshomaru knew that Totosai's words to the miko were meant for her. There was an underlying meaning he did not bother to think about. The Swordmaker left the human on her own and allowed her think the worst scenario. Death.

"_No." Totosai sighed. "She didn't have time to seal it or Kagome's powers were stronger than she estimated. I doubt she had time to really assess the jewel shards. Probably not enough power to really do what she wanted to the Bounder. Either way, the Bounder won't completely kill you. Just mostly." _

"_It will only leave this Sesshomaru weakened then." A small smile appeared on his lips._

"_It can still kill you if you aren't careful." Totosai reminded the Dog Demon. "In the presence of Kagome, you don't know exactly what it will do. Fex did many tricky things with this Bounder in anticipation of your arrival at her den. She intended to kill you with it."_

"_This Sesshomaru killed her before the seal was completed." Sesshomaru bent his arm at the elbow and flexed his left hand slowly. "Her demise was fitting after all."_

"_The science of Bounders is still relatively unknown." Totosai began. "Not even your father knew how to break one. Considering he nearly got ensnared four times, he should have prepared you for this."_

"_Father and I did not agree on many things." Sesshomaru lowered his arm._

For many years, he believed his father lost his desire to fight. With the power of Tenseiga and Tetsusaiga at his side he could rule the world yet he sought no world domination. Many demons thought the Dog General mad for not exercising his tyranny on the lands of his clan and rule with an iron fist.

A lost opportunity indeed.

All because he lost his heart to a mere mortal. It was an obscene and severe insult to the clan enough that Father's ability to reign was diminishing. Yet few were willing to stand up to him and make him face the truth. Sesshomaru felt it his duty back then to lay the facts on the ground. They often debated about the purpose of power. His father chose to ignore his warnings and paid the price. All for a human woman carrying a half-breed.

During the formative years, Sesshomaru believed Inuyasha would be killed by another demon and the matter would sort itself out in the end. The son of the Dog General and a half-demon would annoy most pure-bloodline demons enough to warrant exterminating the young half-breed. A most annoying fact was that the child was allowed to live, despite his attempts to kill Inuyasha on several occasions that seemed to fail regardless of his powers.

"_There was a lot you never agreed with your father on." Totosai smiled toothily. "That did not change his vision that you should grow up to be your own demon. Despite his power and reputation, he understood what it meant to be fair."_

Sesshomaru lifted his eyes to Totosai.

"_Fairness?" Sesshomaru questioned. "All that is fair belongs in the hands of the one who holds the power." _

"_Which is why Tetsusaiga was left to Inuyasha, Sesshomaru." Totosai shook his head. "Your father told me that until you learned to love, you would never understand true power."_

Sesshomaru said nothing in full disagreement.

"_Naraku possesses the other half of the Shikon Jewel, he usually does find a way to possess some portion of it." Totosai got back to the subject at hand. "But, I guess you already know that. You will need it to break the unsealed Bounder. You will also need Tetsusaiga as you guessed in addition to Tenseiga. The Fang Cross should take care of it if your father's understanding of Bounders is correct. But you need to break it before the time is up which I think is about three weeks. With Kagome's power as a miko, the triad of power should do the trick. The rules of the Bounder still apply in the mean time. I wouldn't tell Kagome anything about the rules."_

Totosai paused.

"_It might scare her." He looked at the Dog Demon. "Don't hurt her, Sesshomaru."_

Sesshomaru looked up at Totosai saying nothing.

He left the cave shortly after that finding the miko sleeping outside in the clothing bundled together into something called a 'sleeping bag'. Her serene and calm face reminded him of Rin, an older version of Rin. Would Rin grow up to look like this?

'_A strange question for this Sesshomaru to have asked.'_

Jaken would take care of Rin during his time away. He took that moment to walk away and leave the miko to rest outside Totosai's cave. She would be more open to traveling once she acquired more rest. The miko showed the ability to handle long journey's as along as she was allowed to stop to sleep and eat.

Humans required large amounts of resting time. It would be the miko explaining that humans required so much sleep to function properly during one of her many incesstuant ramblings that humans engaged in for communication on their way here. They remembered and learned things better in addition to making them less grumpy.

One of the stories was of her friends who were mending from Naraku's last battle with Inuyasha where the half-breed lost his memory of her. Sesshomaru remembered they stopped by for a visit shortly after they became bounded. It appeared she was hurt by Naraku's forgetfulness spell on Inuyasha. She did not come out and say the words but he deduced the likely conclusion. The reason that spurned her on to find the Shikon Jewel and return her home, he reasoned.

'_Strange that this Sesshomaru remembered the human's ramblings.'_

Sesshomaru stopped short of the hot springs. He fisted his left hand tightly knowing what he must do to live long enough to break the Bounder. Totosai was not completely correct. The Bounder could indeed kill him if he was not careful. Even unsealed a Bounder was still dangerous. Perhaps more so since it was not sealed properly leaving the Bounder's powers unchecked and capable of dispersing without warning.

Tetsusaiga and the Shikon Jewel were their objectives and in that order.

Inuyasha And Naraku would use the Bounder against him to the fullest of extent. The irritating inferior demon continued to be a nuisance to his lands, not just humans apparently. Their next meeting would require careful consideration. One thing was clear.

Naraku would die.

Sesshomaru felt it imperative to remove this deplorable creature from his lands. He would aid the miko in acquiring the Shikon Jewel, remove the Bounder, and send her home. There was no reason to kill the miko. For the time being.

Now, it was time to do what was required.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Kagome sat in the hot spring, her hands resting on her abdomen. Heat penetrated every pore, every nerve, every muscle soothing the pains from the journey away. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath relishing the sensation of complete relaxation. Even her fingers felt loose and calm, the aches seeping out of her.

Now that she was relaxing, thoughts began to creep back into her mind. Not pleasant ones unfortunately. Kagome opened her eyes wondering if she would find the rest of the Shikon Jewel, get it from Naraku without getting killed, and go home. Never to see this place again, allowing history to write the stories she grew up reading.

Not that there were stories of demons that people believed actually existed. A way to explain the world in the eyes of the people who lived explained in a way they understood. Never in a million years did she expect to find them here. Yet she did not regret coming here and finding Inuyasha, Sango, KiRaRa, Miroku, Shippo, and the others. She did regret losing them at the moment to injury and spells.

Never had she felt more alone than now. Even having Inuyasha's brother as a companion did not seem like she was part of a group. He did things his way and did not care about the needs of others. Had she not been Bounded to him, she doubted he would have bothered looking at her.

Though he had demonstrated the capacity of being kind in the past, Sesshomaru did not offer it. He tolerated Jaken and seemed to silently and genuinely care for Rin. She could not deny that. But at what point would he let her go too? Kagome shook her head trying to focus on the matters that counted at the moment.

Getting Tetsusaiga and the Shikon Jewel from Naraku. Both would be difficult tasks. She did not relish seeing Inuyasha again. He was not kind, believing her some kind of demon in disguise. He remembered that Kikiyo was walking among the people and they were not the same person. Inuyasha responded violently towards her on their last meeting.

That was when she returned to Miroku and Sango recuperating at the temple. She learned then that Naraku placed some form of spell over Inuyasha before the battle ended last time they faced off. Inuyasha grunted that it was nothing, pushing past everyone and leaving. It took twenty-four hours before it took effect.

That hurt so much.

And now she would face him again when Sesshomaru went to retrieve Tetsusaiga. Taking another deep breath, she would not allow her thoughts to get the best of her. Inuyasha was not himself because of Naraku. Miroku and Sango were alive and mending. No one died even though it could well have turned out that way. She should be grateful for that fact.

And now her life was topsy-turvy. It was so odd being attached to Inuyasha's brother. He was not the cold-hearted demon she once thought before. That decision was a bit shaky since becoming bound to him. Then again, she always flip-flopped on her thoughts about Sesshomaru after she kept running into him. Though not always kind, he was always fair in his decisions. He did not feel he had to be nice. He was a demon after all.

Kagome settled deeper into the water letting her mind dwell on nothing.

Minutes later, once the thoughts oozed from her mind. She sat thinking of nothing in particular, her hands brushing her breasts. Glancing down, Kagome frowned at the response her body gave. Her nipples hardened under her own caress.

A little spooked, Kagome decided she spent enough time away from camp and moved to get out of the water. Not that Sesshomaru would miss her but she felt a bit unguarded at the moment. Her clothes were left near the side of the large rock she used as a backrest. If someone were to sneak up on her, she could grab them quickly and dress.

Not that it would happen. There was no Human for miles around here. Only Sesshomaru and she knew the springs were here. And he was certainly not interested in her. She was just a human after all, despite being a powerful miko.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Sesshomaru watched from a short distance at the heat rising from the hot waters. Shifting to a different position, he waited then took a step forward. He could see her face in the water's reflection. Her hands caressed her body in a slow rhythm.

He observed as the miko suddenly stood up from the water, the splashing of waters cascading down her form back into the pool crashed around her. Her body appeared sleek and soft from the back, a light color pink from her time in the heat. She stepped out of sight to the right. Seconds later, he could hear the woman beginning to dress.

It was time to make the necessary move.


	8. Chapter 8: Sleepless Night

**SESSHOMARU BOUND**

**By Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **Don't own it.

**Author's Notes:** Hello again. Busy...and away we go.

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

**Sleepless Night**

The Bounder was meant to refrain, with hold, prohibit any function other than the one intended by the Bounder's maker. Odd that such magic was still used for the pointless childish method of killing and or rape. Female demons often employed them when they wanted to combat a much stronger demon.

But, if a demon was smart enough, he could evade such primitive, yet powerful magic, and avoid the mess Bounders presented. Not to mention the humiliation being caught in one. Word did travel fast among demons especially something like this. No demon in his right mind would want to be caught in a Bounder.

Then again, it was typically used in vindictive ways.

Totosai breathed out at that moment, fire spreading everywhere in front of him through out his cave. He looked to the sky wondering how Kagome would fair with Sesshomaru. Would the demon make his move tonight or wait longer? Either way, Kagome would come face to face with the terrifying power of the Bounder.

The miko certainly had her way with Inuyasha, the younger brother. But a full demon was a totally different beast. Sesshomaru would not see the miko as a person. But a means to an end, or more pointedly, since it was his only way of extending his life, especially if Sesshomaru wanted to live long enough without pain to obtain the Shikon Jewel from Naraku and remove the Bounder permanently.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

'_If we can find that damn Naraku,'_ Kagome took her time getting dressed,_ 'then all this madness will cease. Course, I will miss Sango, Miroku, KiRaRa, and Shippo. Strange I feel so…emotional at the moment.'_

Kagome felt her eyes heavy, her hands covering her bra. This emotion she felt was strange, as if someone had lit a fire within her. She looked up to find Sesshomaru staring at her over the thick bush separating them to her left. He kept his eyes on her then looked her down then up. She frowned at this.

"What are you doing?!" Kagome suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.

She glanced down at her person and realized she was dressed in her bra and skirt only. Kagome held her shirt and panties in her hands. His eyes set on her, she felt very self conscious right now. Sesshomaru walked towards her, splitting the bush separating them.

"It is time." His voice was low.

"Time for what?" She frowned at him, backing away instinctively.

Kagome's eyes widened as his meaning sunk in.

The warm, fuzzy feeling disappeared. _'What?' _Panic suddenly took over. Did he really mean that, what he just said? Kagome shook her head to clear her thoughts. Then she found herself angry.

As if she would let that ever happen?! Her brain worked a mile a second thinking of her options. She set her jaw, clutching her clothes tightly in her fist. As if she would even obey him! Kagome looked around for anything to defend herself with sudden determination to prevent what he intended would happen.

Damn! Her bow and new arrows made by Totosai specifically for Naraku's demise remained with Sesshomaru back at camp during her soak in the hot spring. Her feet stumbled, hitting some cobbles lying on the ground. Kagome bent down and picked them up. She threw the first rock at him as if he would ever be afraid of it.

"Are you mad?"

Sesshomaru offered coolly. "This Sesshomaru had no choice but to follow you here. However, the Bounder is within twenty paces of the ends. Do wish you death or more time to acquire the Shikon Jewel to return home?"

"Listen pal!" Kagome tossed another rock at him in hopes of turning him off the intention to do something to her. "I don't know what you think you're doing! But I'm not going to stand for this demon crap!"

The rock only deflected off Sesshomaru without his bothering to try evading it.

"Totosai explained the Bounder." Sesshomaru spoke evenly. "Without copulation, the Bounder will shorten until death. As a mere human, this Sesshomaru does not expect you to understand the demon world."

"Well, it's not like you really have good people skills, now is it?" Kagome countered hiding her rising fear. "There's gotta be another way!"

Sesshomaru paused to consider what other way could the human be thinking of to break the Bounder's curse but then continued. There was no other way around the Bounder's power. Fex, the demon witch, knew her magic well and left little room to work with despite the Bounder not being sealed. Totosai confirmed his assessment almost as quickly as he did.

"There is no other way." Sesshomaru stopped finding his attempt to close distance between them alarming the miko. "This Sesshomaru will not enjoy this any more than you will."

"Gee…" Kagome frowned in anger. "Like that's supposed to make me feel any better?"

Sesshomaru then took a step forward.

"Not for my first time!" Kagome backed away. "You don't even like girls!"

That made Sesshomaru pause.

Had the Human thought he preferred other males to females? Her attempt to distract him with useless word exchange would not alter his plans. If they did not copulate soon, they both risked dying by the Bounder before finding the Jewel to break its curse.

"No!" Kagome found a large rock behind her.

She realized that she had been walking backwards through the forest in an attempt to avoid Sesshomaru. Yet Sesshomaru made no attempt to capture her with his hands. In fact, he did not seem to mind that she might take off. Did he feel confident enough to capture her quickly? Kagome felt nervous, even anxious. This was not happening…not now!

"You are ready to mate." Sesshomaru kept his voice even.

Fear was great within this young female. For one so strong-willed and head strong, she suddenly became overly weak at the thought of mating. _'Odd indeed.'_ Sesshomaru would not let this deter from his goal. Knowing full well that at some point in the past he would have preferred death, Sesshomaru realized there was more to this journey than appealing to his demon pride. Dying by the Bounder insulted his clan.

"What?!" Kagome looked up Sesshomaru. "Not with you!"

"The male matters not." Sesshomaru reached out for her. "You are ready."

But he hesitated. Sesshomaru recognized the left hand had reached for the miko, the gifted arm the witch offered. It reached for her not his own right hand. Had Fex determined that if the Bounder failed, the arm would aid the Bounder? _'Surely the witch's power was not that strong.'_

That gave Kagome time to escape and she took it.

Dodging several larger boulders, Kagome ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Then the Bounder strained against her neck. She suddenly felt her feet fly out from beneath her, landing on her back, legs spread, her breasts barely covered by her lacy bra. She sat up, her body aching. She realized Sesshomaru stood in front of her. Kagome closed her legs.

"The Bounder favors this Sesshomaru tonight." Sesshomaru lifted a slender finger. "Escape is not an option."

Kagome felt the tug at her neck. She blinked back tears as she got to her feet, her hands tight at her sides. Damn! She completely forgot about the thing around her neck. No wonder he must feel insulted. They were nothing but animals on a leash. But that did not mean she did not have options.

If there was one thing she knew, there was more than one way of skinning the cat.

Kagome lifted the stick in her hand, six inches long, keeping it with her as she got to her feet. Sesshomaru closed the distance between them until he stood in front of her, so close she had to look up at him. She squeezed her fist then plowed the stick into his shoulder. The stick glowed bright pink as it pierced the shoulder blade of his armor. It broke through and into his flesh.

"And I'm still capable of causing you harm." Kagome retorted. "I'm not completely helpless you know."

Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly at the pain.

The pain of the stick in his shoulder took all his concentration and focus not to flinch. He pulled the stick out, tossing it to the side. His armor should not have suffered minor damage at such a meager swipe. She merely stuck it into his shoulder, knowing it would wound him.

"Stay away from me!" Kagome ordered and backed away from him, arming herself with another stick. She would not give in so easy.

A smile formed on his lips.

Kagome knew it was bad…Sesshomaru smiled.

And he had a look of concentrated energy to chase her all night. Problem, she did not have that kind of energy and he knew it. And the Bounder limited how far she could run. He would play cat and mouse with her till she tired. Despite the tether, Kagome felt she needed to run.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

A pointless effort. He stopped her within seconds, pulling her under his arm, her legs kicking to be let go. Using the stick, she plunged it into his arm. He grunted, letting her go. She dropped almost four feet.

Kagome fell to the ground barely able to keep her feet. He did that on purpose! She staggered slightly for the first few steps then found her feet. She bent over and picked up another stick. If she had to hurt him all night, then that was fine by her! Kagome would not give up!

Sex did not matter between demons apparently. She wanted her first time to be with someone she cared for and returned the emotion. Not some demon whose mortality lay in the confines of a Bounder.

Then she made the mistake of looking at Sesshomaru pulling out the stick from his arm. The wound healed quickly. He faced her, the smile still apparent on his lips. It broadened slightly, luring her in. Kagome found herself caught like a deer in headlights as his kimono loosened itself at the waist. It fell from his shoulders revealing his chest, firm and taut from years of battle. She blinked and realized that the armor and sash that tied his swords to his waist were now gone.

Yet something in her brain told her to do something. Stop ogling like a school girl and get going! This spurred her into action only to fall over the terrain. She fell over and off the high mound of moss on the forest floor, tumbling to the ground. Awkwardly getting to her feet, she took off running.

But, he was far faster than she was, for there he stood blocking her path.

"Why do you fight?" He looked down at her.

"Why else?!" Kagome huffed. "You aren't making me feel particularly wanted, you know! I'm just a means to an end!"

She realized talking to him had been another mistake. His hand closed around her arm, yanking her against him. Kagome looked up, her eyes seeing the confusion in his amber eyes.

Did Sesshomaru not want to do this either? Then why was he? Her eyes blinked as he held up her panties and shirt, taken from her hand, just above her head. Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson as he discarded them a few feet away. Kagome tried to wiggle free of his grip but he kept her firmly in place.

"Don't." Kagome whispered.

"This Sesshomaru dies by this Bounder…" Sesshomaru stated. "…so do you."

Kagome stopped, frozen by his words. Die? If the Bounder killed one, it killed the other too? _'Ok, I'm alarmed here!'_ Totosai never mentioned this! Was Sesshomaru just saying this to get his way? Kagome shook her head. Sesshomaru try to convince her to sleep with him? Preposterous!

Then she made the mistake of looking up at him. His amber eyes concentrated on hers, making her feel a true helpless woman. She felt so small and human. Momentarily confused by the next step, her eyes blinked as he studied her, deciding what to do with her. Kagome tried to pull free, placing both hands on him to push away. He made no attempt to stop her rebellion yet she froze in place.

Realizing she touched his porcelain skin, actually touched him, conflicted her. Despite the paleness, his skin was so…soft beneath her fingers. Sesshomaru never allowed anyone to touch him, not that she knew of anyway. Nor did Sesshomaru rush to take her innocence. Did he understand her fears?

Then the look in his eyes softened.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Sesshomaru watched every movement of the miko, seemingly waiting for him to make the next move. She felt embarrassed by her own body? Her bosom strained under the ornate designed fabric she wore over them. The scent of her increased since the springs, she wanted to mate with him despite her innocence.

Her body responded to him, growing warm where he touched her during their foreplay. Females often played a game before settling to mate. They required the game, needing the distraction of the chase to take their mind off surrendering physically. It offered the necessary time needed to allow the body time to prepare for copulation.

This miko was clearly confused by the game. Her constant refusal, using her ability as a miko to drive ordinary sticks into his flesh, only served to spurn him forth. The Bounder mattered not at this point. The miko did not understand her physical needs nor his response to those needs.

He merely glanced at the small skirt she wore most of the time knowing no barrier existed should he decide to take her now or later. Her body craved for his touch, her heat growing in anticipation. The mere smell of her grew more potent, urging him to satisfy his own needs, both for survival and the feel of flesh. The Bounder made him more responsive to her. A damnation of the tether it seemed.

The Demon Witch wanted him to suffer during his link to the miko human named Kagome.

The miko pulled away from him. He pulled her against his chest, his hand slipping into her hair. The tears wanting to form in her eyes remained halted. She would try to be strong outwardly.

"Let me go, Sesshomaru." Kagome said with a surprisingly steady voice.

She blinked.

His kimono fell away from his chest, beginning the necessary mating ritual. He watched her face turn from confident to surprise, her eyes mesmerized by this Sesshomaru's declothing.

Kagome had not expected Sesshomaru to drop his kimono then. Her eyes would not tear away from the exposure of more sleek, pale skin. It caught her off guard. He lifted her against the large rock at her back she did not know was there, her feet leaving the ground.

He slipped his hand between them, allowing his fingers to graze her without barriers. Her back arched against him, her eyes betraying her words of denial, her mouth falling open. Both legs parted wider for him, wanting more. Her hands pressed against his shoulders as if to push him away.

Sesshomaru pressed his fingers against her warmth. She bit her lip to keep a moan from escaping, tears forming in her eyes now. He forced two fingers inward, causing the girl to panic, shaking her head to deny the emotions raging within her. He could smell the war between flesh and mind. Though she wanted to retract, her body pushed against him at the hips. Her wet heat lured him to continue, his own growing need rising with sharp aggressiveness.

"You desire this Sesshomaru." He spoke above a whisper.

The miko tried to respond in denial, only coming out in a flurry of confusion. Her skin flushed a light pink, deepening towards red. It gave him slight satisfaction that she did not know what she wanted. She bit her bottom lip, nearly drawing blood, to keep from crying out every time he slid both fingers deeper into her. He could smell the blood just below the skin boiling over, her breath labored. Her body beaded sweat against him as she tried to resist, sending off volumes of pheromones into the air.

It was time.

But not here. Sesshomaru paused until she closed her eyes, tears creeping down her cheeks. Then, he carried her off in a ball of bright light.


	9. Chapter 9: Impending Pasts

**SESSHOMARU BOUND**

**By Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **Don't own it…sad ain't it?

**Author's Notes:** Hello again! Thanks to all who've been hanging on for so long on this story. Yes, I know it's been a long time. It's been a busy year for me in both positive and negative ways. My mother fought her cancer and eventually passed away last year in November...hence the reason why I haven't been as active on all my stories. I decided to revamp Chapter 9 so it took a while to get it the way I wanted it. Lemon alert! I will try to update again before I make the major move home.

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**CHAPTER NINE**

**Impending Pasts**

Confusion. Anxiousness. Want. Desire. Need. All of these emotions were new to her. Sex was not something she considered in her near future. It was hard to think. Her mind felt fuzzy and unable to keep a clear thought in her head. It was easy to realize that her naivety worked against her. Sesshomaru obviously had plenty of experience.

She felt like she was flying.

Kagome opened her eyes, finding soft moss at her back, his fingers remaining inside her. Despite the chill of the evening air, she found herself warm. Sesshomaru lay above her slightly to her right, his hair fanned around them offering some blanketing. What happened to the rock? She felt a tug at her breasts.

Her eyes widened as her bra fell open, cut by his demon nail, releasing the pair of hardened nipples from their fabric prison. It was then that she noticed the crimson in his eyes as he dipped his head to covet one nipple in his mouth, gently tugging her. Kagome tried to shift away, finding this too much to bear. His fingers continued to prove to her that she did indeed want him.

"Pl…please…" Kagome did not want to beg. "Not…"

Kagome's eyes widened again as her skirt became non-existent and discarded carelessly. All words were lost as his mouth slid over her body, slowly tasting her flesh as he worked his way down to her hips. Kagome lifted her head slightly when he breathed her in deeply. His hand left her heat, taking the pleasure with it. Her body shivered as she lay staring at the trees above her. The night was chilly even in the throws of passion.

Suddenly, her eyes widened then narrowly closed. "Oh go…!"

Kagome forgot the rest as a large tongue slid over her hotly. Her eyes fluttered as her back arched and froze in place. The strong tongue slithered back and forth softly, taking its time to taste every inch. Then he pushed into her gently, pressing deeply. Both legs seemed to spread wider. Kagome felt her mouth gaping unable to take a breath as he slaughtered her sexually.

His mouth returned to her neck and moved from ear to breasts. Sesshomaru lingered over each breast for a short time, teasing her as his fingers returned to work their magic inside her. His sharp teeth brushed against her hot skin eliciting an unexpected sound of pleasure from her lips.

It was difficult to think. Her breath panted under his expert care, her chest rose and fell deeply. Every time he touched her, sounds emanated from her mouth she wished to silence. All this time she imagined her first time being with Inuyasha yet here she was with his brother. She was all but begging him to have her.

His thumb was perfectly positioned over the dark hair growing between her legs. He found a sensitive spot and slowly traced a circle. Her body responded eagerly, a slight moan escaping from her lips. Her legs seemed to widen and pleasure felt close to blowing her top.

Both hands wanted something to do besides feeling the moss beneath them. Kagome did not dare touch Sesshomaru without permission first. Would he kill her then and there? Without thought, she covered her breasts welcoming the warmth on her nipples. Slowly she massaged her breasts as she responded to him. That felt so much better.

Sesshomaru slid his hand up her back, cupping her neck in his hand. He pulled his hand from her and lifted her by the hips sitting up with her plastered against him. Dipping his head, Sesshomaru pressed his face against hers. A low deep growl emanated somewhere in his chest. Her body responded to the closeness, catching her off guard. Her chest rose and fell heavily with the physical onslaught.

Then Sesshomaru set her down over him, the shock of his action rippled through her. Her breath caught in her chest. Every muscle tensed as she enclosed him in a hot flesh prison, eager to keep him close. Her mouth gaped open as he lifted her slightly then set her back down. Sesshomaru pulled back and watched her face closely as he repeated the same action over and over again gently.

The pain ebbed eventually.

Kagome felt only…at a loss for words…a…need building within her. It was slow at first when Sesshomaru accosted her. Now against him, their rhythm slow and synchronized, the need became desire and quickly grew to desperation. He sensed the change in her and adjusted the speed of their union. His large hands held her over him, his thumbs stretched to rub against her nipples as their copulation progressed.

Kagome felt her head pop instanteously. Her body tensed then contracted over and over again, her breathing ragged and short. Sesshomaru laid her down on the moss. She rolled away from him trying to control her breathing.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The miko rolled away from him shivering and shaking.

"_Never taste the flesh of a human woman unless you plan to take her completely." _His father once quoted. Father warned him that human women were difficult to ignore when they were ready to mate. Their scent increased, their skin turned bright in the sun, and glowed in the moonlight. Their hair went soft beckoning to be touched. Everything about a human woman made them appear more alluring than normal.

Sesshomaru eyed the woman closely finding that these warnings were mildly true. Father exaggerated his own desires for this Sesshomaru felt nothing previously described for the miko. However, father spoke from a demon captured by love. He was not in love with the human in his presence. However, he found her participation last night intriguing.

Father was no fool after all.

The taste of human flesh aroused him eagerly, the heat that emanated from every part of her, beckoning him to devour her all. And here he found a virginal woman, left untouched by human men, only made the experience sweeter. No wonder Father sought out Inuyasha's mother.

Now he understood why the Bounder was dangerous to him.

Sesshomaru stared down at the miko's face. Her eyes were closed and yet her expression showed her restraint as she tried to withhold the pain and pleasure she felt. Being a demon, he was more to handle than human men. She would be in pain for only a short time as their union continued. Teeth clenched, her fists tight on his arms as he lifted her gently against him. Her mind fought against her body's natural instinct to mate. His eyes watched her ample breasts bounce as he moved in rhythm.

And he could feel her power as a miko remain. _'Her abilities must be far superior than other miko's this Sesshomaru crossed in his journeys to withstand the sexual onslaught of a demon.'_ Most miko's were rendered powerless once they experienced mating for the first time. Not the one his hands eagerly possessed.

He leaned forward, lying her down on the moss again chasing her without losing the pleasure of mating. His hips continued to press into her wanting his body to find its pleasure with the miko. Only an uncivilized demon would ravish the softness too soon. It had been a while since he tasted a woman so willing to respond.

If the Bounder were true to form, the length added to the current tether would depend on the amount of time spent in copulation. Sesshomaru knew this to mean to continue until he found personal satisfaction.

That would take some time.

He watched her eyes flare open when his hands slid over her hips and lifted her onto her knees. She realized he was not done with her yet. It was then her hand reached up and covered his. The sheer size of her fingers, so tiny and delicate, next to his caught him off guard. He did not expect the warmth of her to be transferred through the skin so easily. He heard it was possible between humans demons when they unioned. The warmth traveled up his arm quickly crawling towards his heart. Sesshomaru stiffened his resolve to remain aloof and unaffected from the unusual miko. She would not be allowed to matter.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Naraku watched the scene unfold in the forest. The copulation between demon and human always caught his interest. But this time it was for a purpose not just pleasure. Even in copulation, a full demon did not give in to the exhibition of emotions that humans often did. And there around the young girl's neck was the object of his desire.

The remainder of the Shikon Jewel.

All these years he fought with the demon dog brothers, one full demon, the other a half-breed. He believed the younger half-breed was taken care of with his memory spell. The younger half-breed forgot his purpose and his friends returning to the forest of Inuyasha with only the memories from fifty years previous. However, that did not stop Sesshomaru from retrieving Tetsusaiga.

It concerned him that Sesshomaru could wield the powerful sword now. He would need to come up with a plan to keep the dog demon and his bounded miko away from his new castle. Should they find him and the Shikon Jewel, the world would end.

The prophecy would come true.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Kagome woke the next day, her body humming from the…whatever it was last night. What the hell was it? It was…words failed her at the moment. _'My first time…and it was with…'_ She left the remainder unsaid and unthought.

It felt like a dream, one she watched from the outside in. But her body remembered everything until he finally let her go just before dawn. The sun was just about to peak over the mountains when he released and disappeared from above her. Kagome remembered only being too tired to move and fell asleep instantly where she lay. She should feel sick. Kagome wanted to be sick and disgusted. Yet the emotions would not come.

'Damn it!' Kagome opened her eyes.

Groggily she lifted her head to look around. It was late morning near noon but Sesshomaru was nowhere to be found in camp. How had she gotten back to camp?

She lay on her sleeping bag not in it. The extra blanket left on her bag last night was draped over her naked form. Clutching the thin fabric to her, she sat up blushing slightly. Her brain was suddenly awake. He left her out here like this?

Kagome frowned in anger.

"Figures." She mumbled realizing that to expect Sesshomaru to be remotely courteous and be angry about it not was unfounded.

However, he was just a demon after all. Still, his father should have taught him some kind of manners! Kagome sighed, the anger leaving her. Her situation suddenly crept in and took over all though processes. Despite the length of time she spent with him, there was no lasting pain. She was all too aware of how different her body felt.

She looked up to find Sesshomaru standing on the trail, as if he suddenly just appeared out of thin air.

"Come." He spoke softly. "Inuyasha is close."

Kagome felt frozen. She did not know how to act. Clearly he seemed unphased by last night's indiscretion. She felt her face flush red, clutching her blanket close to her. Then he turned and began walking down the trail in the direction of Inuyasha's forest.

A deep sigh escaped her as she realized what lay ahead for her. Her stomach turned at the thought of it. Perhaps facing Sesshomaru was not the worst thing that ever happened to her up till now. There was only one person she did not want to see again.

It was too soon to face Inuyasha again.

After his malicious accusations and raging attack, she hoped to never see him again. It would be better all around if she never saw him again. The reminder of all the memories of her having been erased from his mind by Naraku, the heartache of knowing he would not want to see her again, and how he would react to seeing her again.

Kagome sighed deeply.

It meant facing the anger and betrayal Kikiyo placed upon him years ago at the hands of Naraku. She did not want to explain it all to him around a campfire. It was best she let him go and take the Shikon Jewel with her to seal the portal that allowed her to travel between the two worlds.

It was going to be a long day.

Kagome discovered Sesshomaru was not so uncaring. Her clothes were placed by her sleeping bag and left for her to find in the morning. It was strange being around the elder brother when all this time she expected him to be cold, uncaring, and completely without tact.

He was being rather cordial and almost well-mannered despite his claim of despising humans. Even after their… _'oh god…how am I supposed to act around him?'_ Kagome refused to think about last night any longer. It was just a dream… _'_

'_Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, girl!'_ Kagome urged.

She dressed quickly and packed camp up so they could get going. After all this time, she wondered what…her first time would be. Nothing turned out as she thought it would in the end. Strange how this whole mess was just a cataclysmic nightmare wrapped in the simple idea of taking the Shikon Jewel back to modern day Earth.

She just wanted to go home.

**xxxxxxxxxx **

All morning she wanted to just run away. Sesshomaru appeared unaffected by last night's events. Her insides twisted in anticipation of meeting Inuyasha today. Sesshomaru was defeated by Inuyasha when they met before. Inuyasha just barely defeated the full demon, Kagome reminded herself silently. With his memories wiped away, would Inuyasha be easier or more difficult to defeat now?

The large field appeared deserted. The tall, thick trees, set against the clear blue sky, surrounded the long grasses of the field. The sacred tree where she first met Inuyasha was less than a mile away. They once were close friends. A time that felt so long ago. But the pain remained ever present in her heart knowing it was not his fault. They all fell victim to Naraku's plan to split them apart.

And it succeeded brilliantly.

Kagome sighed as the memories brought sadness to her eyes. She knew this place all too well and it made her unbearably sad. All the happy times she used to spend here with Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha, Shippo, and the others in the village. All those memories meant nothing now. All of her friends were almost killed and one slipped away without memory of the rest. Wiped away in a single attack.

It was not fair how things ended between them. Miroku and Sango were recovering slowly with Shippo to aid them. She should be thankful no one died. Perhaps it would have been better if Inuyasha died. Losing his memories was worse than death. The bond they cone shared was gone, forever. Inuyasha wanted nothing to do with any of them and returned to his forest.

He wanted nothing more to do with the world outside of its borders. No amount of reasoning helped him to see the truth of what transpired between them. Inuyasha pushed her away violently, nearly throwing her off her feet. Luckily Shippo was there to catch her.

It was then that Kagome felt hatred towards Naraku. The only person in the world, both of them, she ever truly could state she hated with conviction. Strange she still held onto those happy times. It was back to square one these days.

Kagome kept behind Sesshomaru since he preferred it that way. For the time being, she preferred it that way so she did not have to wonder what he was thinking if he walked behind her. As a full demon, she often wondered what they thought about. Sesshomaru said nothing on their way here.

'_I bet he hates me…'_ Kagome lamented. _'I wanted nothing to do with him. Is it my fault we became bounded? No!'_

They entered the Forest of Inuyasha an hour ago. She felt nothing of Inuyasha's aura since they arrived. Strange how anxious she felt just thinking about seeing Inuyasha again. It was then she felt a shift in the breeze. An angry aura suddenly became discernible among the trees. It could sense them and it was coming to investigate.

Her head perked up then. He was coming…and coming fast. _'Oh god! It's Inuyasha.'_


End file.
